Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
My sonne, hearken vnto my wisedome, and incline thine eare vnto my knowledge.
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
That thou maiest regarde counsell, and thy lippes obserue knowledge.
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
For the lippes of a strange woman drop as an honie combe, and her mouth is more soft then oyle.
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
But the end of her is bitter as wormewood, and sharpe as a two edged sworde.
Her feete goe downe to death, and her steps take holde on hell. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
She weigheth not the way of life: her paths are moueable: thou canst not knowe them.
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
Heare yee me nowe therefore, O children, and depart not from the wordes of my mouth.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Keepe thy way farre from her, and come not neere the doore of her house,
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
Least thou giue thine honor vnto others, and thy yeeres to the cruell:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
Least the stranger should be silled with thy strength, and thy labours bee in the house of a stranger,
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
And thou mourne at thine end, (when thou hast consumed thy flesh and thy bodie)
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
And say, How haue I hated instruction, and mine heart despised correction!
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
And haue not obeied the voyce of them that taught mee, nor enclined mine eare to them that instructed me!
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I was almost brought into all euil in ye mids of the Congregation and assemblie.
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drinke the water of thy cisterne, and of the riuers out of the middes of thine owne well.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Let thy fountaines flow foorth, and the riuers of waters in the streetes.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
But let them bee thine, euen thine onely, and not the strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let thy fountaine be blessed, and reioyce 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 her be as the louing hinde and pleasant roe: let her brests satisfie thee at all times, and delite in her loue continually.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
For why shouldest thou delite, my sonne, in a strange woman, or embrace the bosome of a stranger?
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his pathes.
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe, and he shall be holden with the cordes of his owne sinne.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
Hee shall die for fault of instruction, and shall goe astray through his great follie.
