Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol ·Place of the dead·. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she does not know it.
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
Now therefore, my sons, sh'ma ·hear obey· me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house.
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
neither have I sh'ma ·heard obeyed· the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
I have come to the brink of utter ruin, among the gathered assembly.”
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bereɛ dɔfoɔ, ɔwansane animuonyamfoɔ. Ma ne nufoɔ nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
An ahab ·affectionately loving· doe and a chen ·graceful· deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be intoxicated always with her love.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
For why should you, my son, be led astray, intoxicated sin ·error· with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For the ways of man are before Adonai’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
The depravities (moral evils) of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his habitual sins ·missing the marks· hold him firmly.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will be led astray, intoxicated, unintentional sin ·error·.
