Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
My son, to my wisdom, attend, and, to mine understanding, incline thou thine ear:
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
That thou mayest preserve discretion, —and, as for knowledge, that thy lips may guard it.
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
For, with sweet droppings, drip the lips of her that is a stranger, and, smoother than oil, is her mouth;
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
But, the latter end of her, is bitter as wormwood, sharp, as a two-edged sword!
Her feet, are going down to death, —on hades, will her steps take firm hold. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
Lest, the path of life, she should ponder, her tracks have wandered she knoweth not [whither].
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Keep far from her thy way, and do not go near the opening of her house:
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
Lest thou give, to other men, thy vigour, and thy years, to him that is cruel:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
Lest strange men, be well fed, by thy strength, and, thy toils, be in the house of the alien.
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
So shalt thou grieve in thy latter end, in the failing of thy flesh and of thy healthy condition;
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
And thou shalt say—How I hated correction! and, reproof, my heart disdained;
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
Neither hearkened I to the voice of my teachers, nor, to my instructors, inclined I mine ear:
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
Soon was I in all evil, in the midst of convocation and assembly.
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink thou water out of thine own cistern, and flowing streams out of the midst of thine own well.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Let not thy fountains, flow over, abroad, in the streets, dividings of waters:
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
Let them be for thyself, alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let thy well-spring be blessed, —and get thy joy from the wife of thy youth: —
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bereɛ dɔfoɔ, ɔwansane animuonyamfoɔ. Ma ne nufoɔ nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
A loving hind! a graceful doe! let, her bosom, content thee at all times, and, in her love, mayst thou stray evermore.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
Wherefore, then, shouldst thou stray, my son, with a strange woman? or embrace the bosom of a woman unknown?
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For, before the eyes of Yahweh, are the ways of a man, —and, all his tracks, doth he consider:
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
His own iniquities, shall entrap him with the lawless, and, by the cords of his own sin, shall he be seized.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
He, shall die, for lack of discipline, and, by the abounding of his perversity, shall he be lost.
