Mmɛbusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
2 sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with 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!
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a fraudulent mouth.
13 deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
These six things does the LORD hate: yes, seven are an abomination to him:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about your neck.
22 Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you wake, it shall talk with you.
23 Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of 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 flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
26 ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
Can one go on hot coals, and his feet 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 he that goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is 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 be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
33 Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
