Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son, forget not my law, and let thy heart keep my commandments.
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For they shall add to thee 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 leave thee, put them about thy neck, and write them in the tables of thy heart:
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
And thou shalt And grace and good understanding before 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 thy heart, and lean not upon thy own prudence.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all thy ways think on him, and he will direct thy steps.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
I Be not wise in thy own conceit: fear God, and depart from evil:
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
For it shall be health to thy navel, and moistening to thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and give him of the first of all thy fruits:
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
And thy barns shall be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall run over with wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
My son, reject not the correction of the Lord: and do not faint when thou art chastised by 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 loveth, he chastiseth: and as a father in the son he pleaseth himself.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom and is rich in prudence:
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
The purchasing thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and her fruit than the chiefest 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 the things that are desired, are not to be compared with 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, and in her left hand riches and glory.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable.
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 on her: and he that shall retain her is blessed.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, hath established the heavens by prudence.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his wisdom the depths have broken out, and the clouds grow thick with dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son, let not these things depart from thy eyes: keep the law and counsel:
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
And there shall be life to thy soul, and grace to thy mouth.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then shalt thou walk confidently in thy way, and thy foot shall not stumble:
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
If thou sleep, thou shalt not fear: thou shalt rest, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nor of the power of the wicked falling upon thee.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the Lord will be at thy side, and will keep thy foot that thou be not taken.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Do not withhold him from doing good, who is able: if thou art able, do good thyself also.
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
Say not to thy friend: Go, and come again: and tomorrow I will give to thee: when thou canst give at present.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Practise not evil against thy friend, when he hath confidence in thee.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Strive not against a man without cause, when he hath done thee no evil.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Envy not the unjust man, and do not follow his ways:
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For every mocker is an abomination to the Lord, and his communication is with the simple.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
Want is from the Lord in the house of the wicked: but the habitations of the just shall be blessed.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
He shall scorn the scorners, and to the meek he will give grace.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise shall possess glory: the promotion of fools is disgrace.
