Mmɛbusɛm 4
1 Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
Hear, ye 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 good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
3 Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
For, a son I have been 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 directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy 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.
Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
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 thy getting get understanding.
8 Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee 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 thee.
11 Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
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] thy life.
14 Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
Avoid it, pass not 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 sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
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 till 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, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve 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 those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
