Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
[My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply thine ear to my words;
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
that thou mayest keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives thee a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate:
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Remove thy way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
lest thou give away thy life to others, and thy substance to the merciless:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours come into the houses of strangers;
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
And thou repent at last, when the flesh of thy body is consumed,
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink waters out of thine own vessels, and out of thine own springing wells.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
Let them be only thine own, and let no stranger partake with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let thy fountain of water be [truly] thine own; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bereɛ dɔfoɔ, ɔwansane animuonyamfoɔ. Ma ne nufoɔ nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
Let [thy] loving hart and thy graceful colt company with thee, and let her be considered thine own, and be with thee at all times; for ravished with her love thou shalt be greatly increased.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold thyself in the arms of a woman not thine own.
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
