Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart guard my precepts.
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For they shall set before you length of days, and 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 truth abandon you: encircle them around your throat, and inscribe them on the tablets of your heart.
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
And so shall you discover grace and good discipline, in the sight of God and men.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Have confidence in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend upon your own prudence.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all your ways, consider him, and he himself will direct your steps.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Do not seem wise to yourself. Fear God, and withdraw from evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
Certainly, it shall be health to your navel, and refreshment to your bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honor the Lord with your substance, and give to him from the first of all your fruits,
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
and then your storehouses will be filled with abundance, and your presses shall overflow with wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
My son, do not discard the discipline of the Lord, and do not fall away when you are corrected by him.
12 Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
For whomever the Lord loves, he corrects, and just as a father does with a son, he wins him over.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom and who advances to prudence.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
Her acquisition is better than trading in silver, and her fruit is better than the first and purest gold.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
She is more precious than all riches, and all that can be desired cannot prevail in comparison to her.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
Length of days is at her right hand, and at her left hand is wealth and glory.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her ways are beautiful 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 those who overtake her, and he who shall take hold of her is blessed.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
The Lord founded the earth on wisdom. He secured the heavens with prudence.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his wisdom, the abyss erupted and the clouds increased with dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son, let not these things move away from your eyes. Preserve law as well as counsel.
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
And so shall there be life in your soul and grace in your voice.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then you shall walk confidently in your way, and your feet will not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
When you slumber, you shall not fear. When you rest, your sleep also will be sweet.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Do not fear unexpected terror, nor the power of the impious falling upon you.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the Lord will be at your side, and he will guard your feet, so that you may not be seized.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Do not prevent him who is able from doing good. When you are able, do good yourself too.
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
Do not say to your friend: “Go away, and then return. Tomorrow I will give to you.” When you are able to do so, give in the present.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Do not undertake evil against your friend, even though he has trust in you.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Do not contend against a man without cause, even though he has done no evil to you.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Do not rival an unjust man, and do not imitate his ways.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For everyone who ridicules is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is for the simple.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
Destitution in the house of the impious is from the Lord. But the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
He will ridicule those who ridicule, but he will bestow grace upon the mild.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise will possess glory. The exaltation of the foolish is disgraceful.
