Mmɛbusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
2 Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,” na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho, afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
6 Me fie mpomma ano mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
7 Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu, mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso, ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
And 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
He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
9 ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ, na animu rebiribiri no.
At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
10 Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena efie koraa;
One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
12 ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem, ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
13 Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
14 “Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie; ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
“Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
15 Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
16 Mato me mpa mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
17 Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so: kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with caresses.
19 Me kunu nni efie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
21 Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
22 Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ, anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
23 kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
24 Na afei, me mma, montie me; monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
Now, therefore, ye children, hearken 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 thy heart turn aside to her ways; Go not astray in her paths!
26 Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
