Mmɛbusɛm 4
1 Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
2 Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight of my mother.
4 ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and live!
5 Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou 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 will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
10 Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if 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 correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
16 Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
17 Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
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, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
19 Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
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, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
