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 know understanding;
2 Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
For I was a son to my father, tender and an 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 your heart retain 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. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
6 Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
7 Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
10 Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
13 Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn 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 don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone 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 like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
19 Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
20 Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
21 Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your 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 their whole body.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
