Mmɛbusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
[My] son, keep my words, and hide with you my commandments. [My] son, honour the Lord, and you shall be strong; and fear none but him:
2 Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
keep my commandments, and you shall live; and [keep] my words as the pupils of [your] eyes.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
And bind them on your fingers, and write [them] on the table of your heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
Say that wisdom is your sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for yourself;
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
that she may keep you from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail you with flattering words.
6 Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,
7 Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
passing by the corner in the passages near her house,
8 Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
and speaking, in the dark of the evening,
9 ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
when there happens [to be] the stillness of night and of darkness:
10 Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.
12 ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
For at one time she wanders without, and at [another] time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.
13 Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,
14 “Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:
15 Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
therefore I came forth to meet you, desiring your face; [and] I have found you.
16 Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love.
19 Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey,
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house.
21 Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from [the right path].
22 Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
And he followed her, being gently led on, and [that] as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow:
23 kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for [his] life.
24 Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
Now then, [my] son, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
Let not your heart turn aside to her ways:
26 Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable.
