Mmɛbusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
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!
So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
6 Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
18 akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around your neck.
22 Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will talk with you.
23 Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For the instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
24 ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
26 ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
27 Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your 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.
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
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.
But if he's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has in his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
He refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
