Mmɛbusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wonnim deɛ ɛda bi de bɛba.
Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what the future day may bring.
2 Ma ɔfoforɔ nkamfo wo; na ɛnyɛ wʼankasa; ma ɛmfiri ɔfoforɔ anomu na ɛnyɛ wo.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth: an outsider, and not your own lips.
3 Ɛboɔ mu yɛ duru, na anwea yɛ adesoa, nanso ɔkwasea abufuhyeɛ yɛ duru sene emu biara.
A stone is weighty, and sand is burdensome; but the wrath of the foolish is heavier than both.
4 Abufuo tirim yɛ den, na abufuhyeɛ sɛe adeɛ, na hwan na ɔbɛtumi agyina ninkuntwe ano?
Anger holds no mercy, nor does fury when it erupts. And who can bear the assault of one who has been provoked?
5 Animka a ɛda edwa yɛ sene ɔdɔ a asuma.
An open rebuke is better than hidden love.
6 Apirakuro a ɛfiri adamfo nkyɛn no yɛ sene ɔtamfoɔ mfeano bebrebe.
The wounds of a loved one are better than the deceitful kisses of a hateful one.
7 Ɛwoɔ nyɛ deɛ wameeɛ akɔnnɔ, nanso deɛ ɛkɔm de noɔ no, deɛ ɛyɛ nwono yɛ nʼanom dɛ.
A sated soul will trample the honeycomb. And a hungry soul will accept even bitter in place of sweet.
8 Onipa a wayera ne fie ɛkwan, te sɛ anomaa a wafiri ne pirebuo mu rekyinkyini.
Just like a bird migrating from her nest, so also is a man who abandons his place.
9 Ngo ne aduhwam ma akoma ani gye, adamfo ho anigyeɛ firi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Ointment and various perfumes delight the heart. And the good advice of a friend is sweet to the soul.
10 Nnyaa wʼadamfo ne wʼagya adamfo mu, nkɔ wo nuabarima fie ɛberɛ a ɔhaw ato woɔ, na ɔyɔnko a ɔbɛn woɔ no yɛ sene onuabarima a ɔwɔ akyirikyiri.
Do not dismiss your friend or your father’s friend. And do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your affliction. A close neighbor is better than a distant brother.
11 Me ba, hunu nyansa na ma mʼakoma ani nnye; ɛno na ɛbɛma manya mmuaeɛ ama obiara a ɔbu me animtiaa.
My son, study wisdom, and rejoice my heart, so that you may be able to respond to the one who reproaches.
12 Mmadwemma hunu asiane na wɔhinta, nanso ntetekwaafoɔ kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.
13 Fa atadeɛ a ɛhyɛ obi a ɔdi ɔhɔhoɔ akagyinamu; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbaa huhufoɔ akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take away the garment of him who has vouched for an outsider. And take a pledge from him on behalf of foreigners.
14 Sɛ obi team hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
Whoever blesses his neighbor with a grand voice, rising in the night, shall be like one who curses.
15 Ɔyere ntɔkwapɛfoɔ te sɛ osutɔ da nsusosɔ a ɛnnyae da;
A roof leaking on a cold day, and an argumentative woman, are comparable.
16 sɛ wopata no a, ɛte sɛ deɛ wopata mframa anaa wode wo nsa bɛsɔ ngo mu.
He who would restrain her, he is like one who would grasp the wind, or who would gather together oil with his right hand.
17 Dadeɛ se dadeɛ, saa ara na onipa se ɔfoforɔ.
Iron sharpens iron, and a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18 Deɛ ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bɛdi ɛso aba, na deɛ ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no animuonyam.
Whoever maintains the fig tree shall eat its fruit. And whoever is the keeper of his master shall be glorified.
19 Sɛdeɛ nsuo yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa akoma da onipa no adi.
In the manner of faces looking into shining water, so are the hearts of men made manifest to the prudent.
Hell and perdition are never filled; similarly the eyes of men are insatiable. (Sheol h7585)
21 Kyɛmferɛ wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ, nanso wɔnam nkamfo a onipa nya so na ɛso no hwɛ.
In the manner of silver being tested in the refinery, and gold in the furnace, so also is a man tested by the mouth of one who praises. The heart of the iniquitous inquires after evils, but the heart of the righteous inquires after knowledge.
22 Sɛ wowɔ ɔkwasea wɔ ɔwaduro mu, sɛ wode ɔwɔma wɔ no te sɛ deɛ wosi aburoo a, worentumi nnyi agyimisɛm mfiri ne ho.
Even if you were to crush the foolish with a mortar, as when a pestle strikes over pearled barley, his foolishness would not be taken from him.
23 Ma ɛnyɛ wo asɛnhia sɛ wobɛhunu wo nnwankuo tebea, na ma wʼani nkɔ wʼanantwikuo so;
Be diligent to know the countenance of your cattle, and consider your own flocks,
24 ɛfiri sɛ, ahonya ntena hɔ daa, na ahenkyɛ ntena hɔ mma awoɔ ntoantoasoɔ nyinaa.
for you will not always hold this power. But a crown shall be awarded from generation to generation.
25 Sɛ wotwa ɛserɛ no na foforɔ fifiri na wɔboaboa nkokoɔ so ɛserɛ no ano a,
The meadows are open, and the green plants have appeared, and the hay has been collected from the mountains.
26 ɛnneɛ nnwammaa no bɛma wo ntoma, na mpɔnkye ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuo.
Lambs are for your clothing, and goats are for the price of a field.
27 Wobɛnya mmirekyie nufosuo bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafoɔ adi ne aduane ama wo mmaawa.
Let the milk of goats be sufficient for your food, and for the necessities of your household, and for the provisions of your handmaids.
