Mmɛbusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you have taken a pledge on behalf of your friend, then you have bound your hand to an outsider,
2 sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
then you are ensnared by the words of your own mouth, and taken captive by your own words.
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!
Therefore, my son, do what I say, and free yourself, for you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor. Run, hurry, awaken your friend.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
Do not grant sleep to your eyes, nor let your eyelids slumber.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
Rescue yourself like a gazelle from the hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
Go to the ant, you lazy one, and consider her ways, and so learn wisdom.
7 Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
For though she has no ruler, nor instructor, nor leader,
8 nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
she provides meals for herself in the summer, and she gathers at the harvest what she may eat.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
How long will you slumber, you lazy one? When will you rise up from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
You will sleep a little, you will slumber a little, you will fold your hands a little to sleep,
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
and then destitution will meet with you, like a traveler, and poverty, like an armed man. Yet truly, if you would be diligent, then your harvest will arrive like a fountain, and destitution will flee far from you.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
An apostate man, a harmful man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
he winks with the eyes, touches with the foot, speaks with the finger.
14 deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
With a depraved heart he devises evil, and at all times he sows conflict.
15 Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
To this one, his perdition will arrive promptly, and he shall be crushed suddenly: he will no longer have any remedy.
16 Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
Six things there are that the Lord hates, and the seventh, his soul detests:
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 the most wicked thoughts, feet running swiftly unto evil,
19 Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a deceitful witness bringing forth lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, preserve the precepts of your father, and do not dismiss the law of your mother.
21 Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Bind them to your heart unceasingly, and encircle them around your throat.
22 Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you walk, let them keep step with you. When you sleep, let them guard you. And when you keep watch, speak with them.
23 Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For commandment is a lamp, and law is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life.
24 ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
So may they guard you from an evil woman, and from the flattering tongue of the outsider.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Let not your heart desire her beauty; do not be captivated by her winks.
26 ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
For the price of a prostitute is only one loaf. Yet the woman seizes the precious soul of a man.
27 Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
Would a man be able to conceal fire in his bosom, so that his garments would not burn?
28 Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
Or could he walk over burning coals, so that his feet would not be burned?
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 also, he who enters to the wife of his neighbor shall not be clean when he touches her.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
Not so great is the fault when someone has stolen. For he steals so as to satisfy a hungry soul.
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.
Also, if he is apprehended, he shall repay sevenfold and hand over all the substance of his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
But whoever is an adulterer, because of the emptiness of his heart, will destroy his own soul.
33 Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
He gathers shame and dishonor to himself, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.
34 Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
For the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare him on the day of vindication,
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
nor will he agree to the pleadings of anyone, nor will he accept, as repayment, a multitude of gifts.
