Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For length of days, and long 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 mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
So shalt thou 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;
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Nnye wo ho nni sɛ woyɛ onyansafoɔ suro Awurade na kyiri bɔne.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits 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 presses shall burst out 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 chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
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 correcteth; even as a father the son [in whom] he delighteth.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
Happy [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 merchandise of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof 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 to be compared 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; [and] 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 every one] that retaineth her.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son, let not them 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 to thy neck.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, 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: yea, 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 desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall 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 thine 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 thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For the froward [is] abomination to 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 just.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
Surely he 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 fools.
