Mmɛbusɛm 4
1 Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
Hear, you sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For I have given to you good learning, do not forsake my law.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
For I have been a son to my father—tender, And an only one before my mother.
4 ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
And he directs me, and he says to me: “Let your heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5 Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Do not forsake her, and she preserves you, Love her, and she keeps you.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
The first thing [is] wisdom—get wisdom, And with all your getting get understanding.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Exalt her and she lifts you up, She honors you when you embrace her.
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She gives a wreath of grace to your head, She gives you a crown of beauty freely.”
10 Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to you.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
I have directed you in a way of wisdom, I have caused you to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
In your walking your step is not restricted, And if you run, you do not stumble.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] your life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Do not enter into the path of the wicked, And do not be blessed in a way of evildoers.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid it, do not pass over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they do not sleep if they do no evil, And their sleep has been taken away violently, If they do not cause [some] to stumble.
17 Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And they drink wine of violence.
18 Teneneefoɔ kwan te sɛ adekyeɛ hann a ɛdi ɛkan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yie kɔduru awia ketee.
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening until the day is established,
19 Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
My son, give attention to my words, Incline your ear to my sayings,
21 Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
Do not let them turn aside from your eyes, Preserve them in the midst of your heart.
22 ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wɔhunu ne akwahosan ma onipadua no nyinaa.
For they [are] life to those finding them, And healing to all their flesh.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
Above every charge keep your heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Turn aside a contrary mouth from you, And put perverse lips far from you,
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Your eyes look straightforward, And your eyelids look straight before you.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Ponder the path of your feet, And all your ways [are] established.
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Do not incline [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside your foot from evil!
