Mmɛbusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words and treasure 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 teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 “Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
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 took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
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 pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend 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 aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
