Mmɛbusɛm 4
1 Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, And attend, that ye may learn understanding!
2 Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For I give you good instruction; Forsake ye not my commandments.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
For I was my father's son, A tender and only child in the sight of my mother.
4 ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
He taught me, and said to me, Let thy heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments, and live.
5 Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, and depart not from, the words of my mouth.
6 Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Forsake her not, and she will guard thee: Love her, and she will preserve thee.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore gain wisdom, And with all thy gain, gain understanding.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Exalt her, and she will promote thee; She will bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her;
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will give to thy head a graceful wreath, A beautiful crown will she bestow upon thee.
10 Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Hear, O my son! and receive my sayings! So shall the years of thy life be many.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
I have taught thee the way of wisdom, I have guided thee in the right path.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be confined; And, when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; Keep her, for she is thy life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Enter not into the path of the wicked, And go not in the way of evil men;
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid it, pass not upon it, Turn from it, and go away.
16 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they sleep not, unless they have done mischief; Yea, their sleep is taken away, unless they have caused some to fall.
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.
But the path of the righteous is as the light of dawn, Which groweth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
19 Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
The way of the wicked is as thick darkness; They know not at what they stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear to my sayings;
21 Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart!
22 ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wɔhunu ne akwahosan ma onipadua no nyinaa.
For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
More than any thing which thou watchest, watch thy heart; For from it goeth forth life.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Put away from thee a deceitful mouth, And remove far from thee perverse lips.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let thine eyes look straight forward, And thine eyelids be directed before thee.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Give heed to the path of thy foot, And let all thy ways be steadfast.
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Turn not to the right hand or to the left; Remove thy foot from evil.
