Mmɛbusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhunumu nsɛm no yie,
My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,
2 sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma woahwɛ yie, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep.
3 Ɛfiri sɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ ano sosɔ ɛwoɔ, na ne kasa kɔ yɛɛ sene ngo;
For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth,
4 nanso, awieeɛ no ɛyɛ nwono sene bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ akofena anofanu.
And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.
Her feet are going down to death, Sheol do her steps take hold of. (Sheol h7585)
6 Ɔnnwene ɛkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso ɔnnim.
The path of life — lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths — thou knowest not.
7 Enti, afei, me mma, montie me; Monntwe mo ho mfiri deɛ meka ho.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.
8 Ɛkwan a ɛmmɛn noɔ no na momfa so mommmɛn ne fie ɛpono ano,
Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house,
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforɔ na mode mo mfeɛ ama otirimuɔdenfoɔ,
Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔhoɔ bɛfom mo ahonyadeɛ na mobrɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforɔ fie.
Lest strangers be filled [with] thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mobɛsi apinie ɛberɛ a mo honam ne mo onipadua asa no.
And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
12 Na moaka sɛ, “Na mekyiri ahohyɛsoɔ! Mʼakoma ampɛ ntenesoɔ!
And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,
13 Manyɛ ɔsetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfoɔ na mantie mʼakwankyerɛfoɔ asɛm.
And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
14 Maduru ɔsɛeɛ ntɛntɛnoa wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.
15 Nom nsuo firi wʼankasa ankorɛ mu, nsuo a ɛtene firi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.
16 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo nsutire yiri fa mmɔntene so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman adwaberem anaa?
Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara dea, a wone ahɔhoɔ nnkyɛ da.
Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nka wʼababunuberɛ mu yere ho.
Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of 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 hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.
20 Me ba, adɛn enti na woma ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ kyekyere wo? Adɛn enti na woda ɔbarima foforɔ bi yere kokom?
And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
21 Awurade hunu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.
22 Omumuyɛfoɔ nnebɔne sum no afidie; na ne bɔne nhoma kyekyere no papee.
His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.
23 Ɔbɛwu ɛsiane ahohyɛsoɔ a ɔnni enti, na wayera ɛsiane nʼagyegyentwisɛm enti.
He dieth without instruction, And in the abundance of his folly magnifieth himself!
