Mmɛbusɛm 8
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Nteaseɛ ma ne nne so.
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 Ɛkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na ɛgyina,
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 apono a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu ho, ɛteam wɔ aboboano hɔ sɛ,
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 “Ao, mo mmarimma na meteam mefrɛ; meteam frɛ adasamma nyinaa.
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Mo a moyɛ ntetekwaa, mo mma mo ani nte; mo a moyɛ nkwaseafoɔ, monnya nteaseɛ.
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
6 Montie, na mewɔ nsɛm pa bi ka kyerɛ mo; mebue mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ.
Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 Mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ nokorɛ, ɛfiri sɛ mʼanofafa kyiri amumuyɛsɛm.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 Mʼano mu nsɛm nyinaa yɛ pɛ; ebiara nni mu a ɛyɛ nkontompo anaa nnaadaasɛm.
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 Ne nyinaa mu da hɔ ma deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu; ɛho nni asɛm ma wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Mompo dwetɛ na momfa mʼakwankyerɛ, momfa nimdeɛ na mompo sikakɔkɔɔ amapa.
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than gold.
11 Ɛfiri sɛ nimdeɛ som bo sene mmota, na wɔrentumi mfa deɛ wopɛ biara ntoto ho.
For wisdom is better than all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene aniteɛ na ɛteɛ; nimdeɛ ne nhunumu wɔ me.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
13 Sɛ wɔsuro Awurade ɛne sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne; mekyiri ahantan ne ahomasoɔ, ɔbra bɔne ne nnaadaasɛm.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Afotuo ne atemmuo pa wɔ me; mewɔ nteaseɛ ne tumi.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 Me so na ahemfo nam di adeɛ na sodifoɔ nam me so hyehyɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ;
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 Mmapɔmma de me bu ɔman ne atitire nyinaa a wɔdi asase so ɔhene.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
17 Medɔ wɔn a wɔdɔ me, na wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ me no hunu me.
I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahodeɛ a ɛkyɛre ne yiedie nso saa ara.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 Mʼaba yɛ sene sikakɔkɔɔ amapa; deɛ ɛfiri me mu boro dwetɛ a wɔasɔne so so.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
20 Tenenee akwan so na menam atɛntenenee akwan so,
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 mede ahodeɛ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan ma ma.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔdeɛ mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛɛ anim;
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 ɔyii me sii hɔ firi tete, ansa na ewiase rehyɛ aseɛ.
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ ɛpo kakraka no ansa na wɔreyɛ nsutire a nsuo ahyɛ no ma no;
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔ resisi hɔ, wɔwoo me ansa na nkokoɔ reba,
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuo anaa dɔteɛ biara a ɛwɔ asase soɔ.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ soro, ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ too ebunu no ani no,
I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 ɛberɛ a ɔbɔɔ omununkum wɔ soro na ɔde ebunu mu nsutire tintim hɔ denden no,
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
29 ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ maa ɛpo sɛdeɛ nsuo no rentra ne hyeɛ, ne ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa asase fapem no,
when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed the foundations of the earth.
30 na meyɛ odwumfoɔ a mete ne nkyɛn. Anigyeɛ hyɛɛ me ma daa na medii ahurisie wɔ nʼanim ɛberɛ biara,
I was with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne ewiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adasamma mu.
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
32 “Enti me mma, montie me; nhyira ne wɔn a wɔnante mʼakwan so.
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 Montie mʼakwankyerɛ na monhunu nyansa; mommu mo ani nngu so.
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
34 Nhyira ne onipa a ɔtie me, ɔwɛn mʼaboboano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 Na obiara a ɔhunu me no nya nkwa na ɔnya anisɔ firi Awurade nkyɛn.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
36 Na deɛ woanhwehwɛ me no ha ne ho na wɔn a wɔtane me no dɔ owuo.”
But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
