Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
My son, listen carefully to some [more] wise things that I will tell you. Listen well to what I am going to teach you.
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
If you do that, you will be able to choose wisely [what to do], and you will know [the right things] to say [MTY].
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
What an immoral woman says [to you may be] as sweet as honey, and sound smoother than olive oil [feels on your skin],
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
but the result [of being with her] will be bitter like gall and [injure you as badly], like being cut with a sharp two-edged sword.
If you go where she goes [MTY], you will go down to where the dead people are. Her steps will lead you straight to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
She is not concerned about the roads that lead to a [long] life. She walks [down] a crooked path, and she does not realize [that she is on the wrong road].
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
So now, my sons, listen to me. (Never turn aside from/always remember) [LIT] what I am about to tell you.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Run away from immoral women! Do not go near the doors of their houses!
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
If you enter the home of one of them, you will lose your (self-respect/good reputation) and [that woman’s husband] will not act mercifully toward you; he will [kill you and] take everything that you have acquired during your life!
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
Foreigners will take your money, and [all] the good things that you have worked for will (end up in their hands/become their possessions).
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
And when you are about to die, you will groan [with severe pain] because diseases [that you have gotten from being immoral] will be destroying your body.
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
Then you will say, “I hated it [when people tried to] correct me. I despised [people when they] reproved/rebuked me.
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
I did not heed what my teachers said! I paid no attention to those who [tried to] teach me [something about my behavior].
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
[Now] I am almost ruined, and I will be disgraced in public gatherings.”
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Like a man is refreshed by drinking water from his own well [MET], enjoy [having sex] [EUP] only with your own wife.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Like you would not waste good water by pouring it into the street, [you should not have sex with other women]. [MET, EUP]
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
Enjoy [having sex] only with your wife; do not [have sex with] other women.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let your wife be a source of great pleasure to you. (Be happy/[Enjoy sex]) with the woman whom you married when you were both young.
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bereɛ dɔfoɔ, ɔwansane animuonyamfoɔ. Ma ne nufoɔ nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
She is as pretty and graceful [as] a young female deer. Allow her breasts to always satisfy you. Allow her lovemaking to excite you.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
My son, do not be [RHQ] captivated/charmed by an immoral woman! Do not fondle the breasts of another man’s wife!
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
[I say that] because Yahweh sees clearly everything that we do; he knows [where we are going on] the roads that we walk on.
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
Evil men’s sinful desires hold them fast; their sins are [like] ropes that bind them.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
Evil men [will] die because they are unable to say “No” to their desires; they [will] (go astray/be lost) because of the foolish things that they do.
