Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
so shall you find favour: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour the Lord with your just labours, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
12 Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
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 that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit amongst the righteous.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonour.
