Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son, forget not my teaching, and let thy heart observe my commandments;
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
for length of days, and years of life, and peace shall they add to thee.
3 Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Let not loving-kindness and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
and thou shalt find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Confide in Jehovah with all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own intelligence;
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make plain thy paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
it shall be health for thy navel, and moisture for thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour Jehovah with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new 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 instruction of Jehovah, neither be weary of his chastisement;
12 Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
for whom Jehovah loveth he chasteneth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
For the gain thereof is better than the gain of silver, and her revenue than fine gold.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not equal unto her.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
Length of days is in her right hand; in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths 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 them that lay hold upon her; and happy is he that retaineth her.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his knowledge the deeps were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
so shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, and thy foot shall not stumble;
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
when thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid, but thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the destruction of the wicked, when it cometh;
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
for Jehovah shall be thy confidence, and he will keep thy foot from being taken.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy 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 unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Envy not the man of violence, and choose none of his ways.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah; but his secret is with the upright.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; but he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
He indeed scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of the foolish.
