Mmɛbusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.
2 Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.
6 Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
7 Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
8 Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,
9 ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.
10 Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
(She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
12 ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
13 Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
14 “Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
15 Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
16 Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning: let vs take our pleasure in daliance.
19 Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
22 Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
And he followed her straight wayes, as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter, and as a foole to the stockes for correction,
23 kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Till a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.
24 Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
25 Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, and the strong men are all slaine by her.
