Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son, keep my teaching in your memory, and my rules in your heart:
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For they will give you increase of days, years of life, and peace.
3 Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Let not mercy and good faith go from you; let them be hanging round your neck, recorded on your heart;
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
So you will have grace and a good name in the eyes of God and men.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Put all your hope in God, not looking to your reason for support.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all your ways give ear to him, and he will make straight your footsteps.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Put no high value on your wisdom: let the fear of the Lord be before you, and keep yourself from evil:
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
This will give strength to your flesh, and new life to your bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Give honour to the Lord with your wealth, and with the first-fruits of all your increase:
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
So your store-houses will be full of grain, and your vessels overflowing with new wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
My son, do not make your heart hard against the Lord's teaching; do not be made angry by his training:
12 Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
For to those who are dear to him the Lord says sharp words, and makes the son in whom he has delight undergo pain.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Happy is the man who makes discovery of wisdom, and he who gets knowledge.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
For trading in it is better than trading in silver, and its profit greater than bright gold.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
She is of more value than jewels, and nothing for which you may have a desire is fair in comparison with her.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
Long life is in her right hand, and in her left are wealth and honour.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her ways are ways of delight, and all her goings are peace.
18 Ɔyɛ nkwa dua ma wɔn a wɔsɔ ne mu; wɔn a wɔkura ne mu no bɛnya nhyira.
She is a tree of life to all who take her in their hands, and happy is everyone who keeps her.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
The Lord by wisdom put in position the bases of the earth; by reason he put the heavens in their place.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his knowledge the deep was parted, and dew came dropping from the skies.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son, keep good sense, and do not let wise purpose go from your eyes.
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
So they will be life for your soul, and grace for your neck.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then you will go safely on your way, and your feet will have no cause for slipping.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
When you take your rest you will have no fear, and on your bed sleep will be sweet to you.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Have no fear of sudden danger, or of the storm which will come on evil-doers:
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the Lord will be your hope, and will keep your foot from being taken in the net.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Do not keep back good from those who have a right to it, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
Say not to your neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when you have it by you at the time.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Do not make evil designs against your neighbour, when he is living with you without fear.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Do not take up a cause at law against a man for nothing, if he has done you no wrong.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Have no envy of the violent man, or take any of his ways as an example.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For the wrong-hearted man is hated by the Lord, but he is a friend to the upright.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the evil-doer, but his blessing is on the tent of the upright.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise will have glory for their heritage, but shame will be the reward of the foolish.
