Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My sonne, forget not thou my Lawe, but let thine heart keepe my commandements.
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For they shall increase the length of thy dayes and the yeeres of life, and thy prosperitie.
3 Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Let not mercie and trueth forsake thee: binde them on thy necke, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
So shalt thou finde fauour and good vnderstanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and leane not vnto thine owne wisdome.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy wayes.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Be not wise in thine owne eyes: but feare the Lord, and depart from euill.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
So health shalbe vnto thy nauel, and marowe vnto thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour the Lord with thy riches, and with the first fruites 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 barnes be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall burst with newe wine.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
My sonne, refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieued with his correction.
12 Ɛfiri sɛ, obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso, sɛdeɛ agya tene ɔba a ɔdɔ no so no.
For the Lord correcteth him, whome he loueth, euen as the father doeth the childe in whom he deliteth.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome, and the man that getteth vnderstanding.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
For the marchandise thereof is better then the marchandise of siluer, and the gaine thereof is better then golde.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
It is more precious then pearles: and all things that thou canst desire, are not to be compared vnto her.
16 Nkwa tenten wɔ ne nsa nifa mu; ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ ne nsa benkum mu.
Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory.
17 Nʼakwan yɛ ahomeka, na nʼasa nyinaa yɛ asomdwoeɛ.
Her wayes are wayes of pleasure, and all her pathes prosperitie.
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 holde on her, and blessed is he that retaineth her.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
The Lord by wisdome hath layde the foundation of the earth, and hath stablished the heauens through vnderstanding.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his knowledge the depthes are broken vp, and the cloudes droppe downe the dewe.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My sonne, let not these things depart from thine eyes, but obserue wisdome, and counsell.
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
So they shalbe life to thy soule, and grace vnto thy necke.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then shalt thou walke safely by thy way: and thy foote shall not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
If thou sleepest, thou shalt not bee afraide, and when thou sleepest, thy sleepe shalbe sweete.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Thou shalt not feare for any sudden feare, neither for the destruction of the wicked, when it commeth.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the Lord shall be for thine assurance, and shall preserue thy foote from taking.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Withhold not the good from the owners thereof, though there be power in thine hand to doe it.
28 Nka nkyerɛ wo yɔnko sɛ: “Kɔ na bra; mede bɛma wo ɔkyena” wɔ ɛberɛ a wowɔ no saa ɛberɛ no.
Say not vnto thy neighbour, Go and come againe, and to morow wil I giue thee, if thou now haue it.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Intend none hurt against thy neighbour, seeing he doeth dwell without feare by thee.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Striue not with a man causelesse, when he hath done thee no harme.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Bee not enuious for the wicked man, neither chuse any of his wayes.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For the frowarde is abomination vnto the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
The curse of the Lord 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.
With the scornefull he scorneth, but hee giueth grace vnto the humble.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
The wise shall inherite glorie: but fooles dishonour, though they be exalted.
