Mmɛbusɛm 4
1 Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
Listen, sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and discover what makes sense,
2 Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
for what I am passing on to you is reliable. Don't reject my teachings.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
When I was a son with my father—a tender young boy, my mother's only child—
4 ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
he was the one who taught me. He told me, “Pay attention to the words I say and keep them in mind; do what I tell you and you will live.
5 Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
Get wisdom, find out what makes sense. Don't forget my words or reject them.
6 Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Don't give up on wisdom for she will keep you safe. Love wisdom and she will protect you.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
The first thing in becoming wise is to get wisdom! Whatever else you gain, gain insight.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Treasure wisdom, and she will praise you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will place on your head a wreath of grace; she will present to you a crown of glory.”
10 Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Listen, my son, if you accept what I tell you, then you will live a long life.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
I have explained to you the way of wisdom; I have guided you along the right paths.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
Nothing will block your way when you walk, you won't stumble when you run.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Hold on to these instructions—don't let them go. Protect them, for they are life's foundation.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Don't go the way of the wicked or follow the example of those who do evil.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid that way completely. Don't go there! Turn away, and walk on.
16 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
Evil people won't rest until they've done something wrong; they can't sleep unless they've tripped someone up.
17 Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 Teneneefoɔ kwan te sɛ adekyeɛ hann a ɛdi ɛkan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yie kɔduru awia ketee.
The way of life of the good is like the light of the sunrise, glowing brighter and brighter until the full light of day shines out.
19 Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
But the way of life of the wicked is like complete darkness; they don't even know what they're tripping over.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
My son, pay attention to what I tell you; listen to the words I'm saying.
21 Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
Don't lose sight of them; think about them deeply,
22 ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wɔhunu ne akwahosan ma onipadua no nyinaa.
for they are life to anyone who finds them, and make the whole body healthy.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
Most of all, protect your mind, for everything in life flows from it.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Don't ever lie, and don't say anything dishonest.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Focus on what's ahead of you; look at what's in front of you.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Don't deviate to the right or the left, and turn away from evil.
