Mmɛbusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
12 ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and does not know that it will cost his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
26 Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
