Mmɛbusɛm 3
1 Me ba, mma wo werɛ mfiri me nkyerɛkyerɛ, kora me mmara yi wɔ wʼakoma mu,
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
2 na ɛbɛma wo nkwa aware, mfeɛ bebree na ɛde yiedie abrɛ wo.
For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee.
3 Mma adɔeɛ ne nokorɛ mfiri wo nkyɛn fa yane wo kɔn mu twerɛ gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Na wobɛnya adom ne din pa wɔ Onyankopɔn ne nnipa anim.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Fa wʼakoma nyinaa to Awurade so na mmfa wo ho nto wʼankasa nteaseɛ so;
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 hunu no wʼakwan nyinaa mu, na ɔbɛtene wʼakwan.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight 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 turn aside from evil.
8 Ɛde ahoɔden bɛbrɛ wo onipadua na ayɛ aduane ama wo nnompe.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Fa wʼahonya hyɛ Awurade animuonyam, ne wo nnɔbaeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan nyinaa;
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 na ɛno na ɛbɛma wo pata ayɛ ma abu so, na nsã foforɔ abu afa wʼankorɛ so
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Me ba, sɛ Awurade tene wo so a, tie no yie, na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa aba,
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
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 reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Nhyira nka onipa a ɔhunu nyansa, onipa a ɔnya nteaseɛ,
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth forth understanding.
14 ɛfiri sɛ, nimdeɛ ho mfasoɔ sene dwetɛ, na deɛ ɛfiri mu ba sene sikakɔkɔɔ.
For better [is] her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold — her increase.
15 Ne boɔ yɛ dene sene bota; na worentumi mfa wʼapɛdeɛ biara ntoto ho.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to 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 [are] wealth 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.
A tree of life she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Nyansa mu na Awurade yɛɛ asase fapem, na nteaseɛ mu na ɔde ɔsoro timii hɔ.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 Ɛfiri ne nimdeɛ mu na ɔkyekyɛɛ ebunu mu, na omununkum nso tɔɔ bosuo.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.
21 Me ba, fa atemmuo pa ne nhunumu sie, na mma ɛmfiri wʼani so;
My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 ɛbɛyɛ nkwa ama wo, ahyehyɛdeɛ a ɛma wɔ kɔn nya animuonyam.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Afei wo kwan so bɛyɛ wo dwoodwoo, na wo nan rensunti;
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 sɛ woda a worensuro; sɛ woda a wʼani bɛkum.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Nsuro mpofirim amanehunu anaa ɔsɛeɛ a ɛba amumuyɛfoɔ so,
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛyɛ wʼawerɛhyɛm na ɔbɛkora wo nan afiri afidie mu.
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
27 Mfa ade pa nkame wɔn a wɔfata, ɛberɛ a tumi wɔ wo nsam.
Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God 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 thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Mpam ɔhaw mma wo yɔnko ɛberɛ a ɔne wo te yie.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Mfa ɛso nto obi so kwa ɛberɛ a ɔnyɛɛ wo bɔne biara.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Mma wʼani mmere basabasayɛfoɔ, na mfa nʼakwan no mu biara,
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways.
32 ɛfiri sɛ Awurade kyiri basabasayɛfoɔ na ɔde ne werɛ hyɛ ɔteneneeni mu.
For an abomination to Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 Awurade nnome wɔ omumuyɛfoɔ efie so, na ɔhyira ɔteneneeni fie.
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 Ɔdi fɛdifoɔ a wɔyɛ ahantan ho fɛ na ɔdom ahobrɛasefoɔ.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Anyansafoɔ bɛnya animuonyam adi, nanso nkwaseafoɔ deɛ, ɔma wɔn anim gu ase.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
