Mmɛbusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
2 sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
if you have been trapped by the words of your lips, ensnared by the words of your mouth,
3 ɛnneɛ yɛ yei, me ba, na fa tete wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka woɔ no nti: fa ahobrɛaseɛ kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
then do this, my son, to free yourself, for you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go, humble yourself, and press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
Allow no sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
Walk in the manner of the ant, O slacker; observe its ways and become wise.
7 Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler,
8 nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food at harvest.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
How long will you lie there, O slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth,
13 deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers.
14 deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
With deceit in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord.
15 Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
16 Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil,
19 Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Bind them always upon your heart; tie them around your neck.
22 Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
24 ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Do not lust in your heart for her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
27 Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
28 Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
Can a man walk on hot coals without scorching his feet?
29 Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforɔ yere da no teɛ obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka noɔ no remfa ne ho nni da.
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
Men do not despise the thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger.
31 Mmom sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtua ka mmɔho nson; sɛ ɛhia sɛ wɔtɔn ne fie agyapadeɛ nyinaa mpo a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtɔn.
Yet if caught, he must pay sevenfold; he must give up all the wealth of his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
Wounds and dishonor will befall him, and his reproach will never be wiped away.
34 Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
For jealousy enrages a husband, and he will show no mercy in the day of vengeance.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
