Mmɛbusɛm 8
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Nteaseɛ ma ne nne so.
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, And understanding put forth her voice?
2 Ɛkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na ɛgyina,
Upon the top of the high places, By the wayside, In the cross-ways, She taketh her station.
3 apono a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu ho, ɛteam wɔ aboboano hɔ sɛ,
By the side of the gates, In the entrance of the city, In the approaches to the doors, she crieth aloud.
4 “Ao, mo mmarimma na meteam mefrɛ; meteam frɛ adasamma nyinaa.
“To you, O men! do I call, 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 ye simple ones! learn wisdom, And ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart!
6 Montie, na mewɔ nsɛm pa bi ka kyerɛ mo; mebue mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ.
Hear, for I speak excellent things, And my lips utter that which is right.
7 Mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ nokorɛ, ɛfiri sɛ mʼanofafa kyiri amumuyɛsɛm.
For my mouth speaketh truth, And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 Mʼano mu nsɛm nyinaa yɛ pɛ; ebiara nni mu a ɛyɛ nkontompo anaa nnaadaasɛm.
All the words of my mouth are in uprightness; There is nothing crooked or deceitful in them;
9 Ne nyinaa mu da hɔ ma deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu; ɛho nni asɛm ma wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ.
They are all plain to the man of understanding, And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Mompo dwetɛ na momfa mʼakwankyerɛ, momfa nimdeɛ na mompo sikakɔkɔɔ amapa.
Receive my instruction, and not silver. And knowledge rather than choice gold!
11 Ɛfiri sɛ nimdeɛ som bo sene mmota, na wɔrentumi mfa deɛ wopɛ biara ntoto ho.
For wisdom is better than pearls, And no precious things are to be compared with her.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene aniteɛ na ɛteɛ; nimdeɛ ne nhunumu wɔ me.
“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out the knowledge of sagacious counsels.
13 Sɛ wɔsuro Awurade ɛne sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne; mekyiri ahantan ne ahomasoɔ, ɔbra bɔne ne nnaadaasɛm.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, And the deceitful mouth, do I hate.
14 Afotuo ne atemmuo pa wɔ me; mewɔ nteaseɛ ne tumi.
Counsel is mine, and sound reason; I am understanding; I have strength.
15 Me so na ahemfo nam di adeɛ na sodifoɔ nam me so hyehyɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ;
By me kings reign, And princes decree justice.
16 Mmapɔmma de me bu ɔman ne atitire nyinaa a wɔdi asase so ɔhene.
By me princes rule, And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 Medɔ wɔn a wɔdɔ me, na wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ me no hunu me.
I love them that love me, And they who seek me early shall find me.
18 Ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahodeɛ a ɛkyɛre ne yiedie nso saa ara.
Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable riches and prosperity.
19 Mʼaba yɛ sene sikakɔkɔɔ amapa; deɛ ɛfiri me mu boro dwetɛ a wɔasɔne so so.
My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. And my revenue than choice silver.
20 Tenenee akwan so na menam atɛntenenee akwan so,
I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of equity.
21 mede ahodeɛ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan ma ma.
I cause those who love me to possess substance; Yea, I fill their treasuries.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔdeɛ mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛɛ anim;
“The LORD created me, the firstling of his course, Before his works, of old;
23 ɔyii me sii hɔ firi tete, ansa na ewiase rehyɛ aseɛ.
I was anointed from everlasting, From the beginning, even before the earth was made.
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ ɛpo kakraka no ansa na wɔreyɛ nsutire a nsuo ahyɛ no ma no;
When as yet there were no deeps, I was brought forth. When there were no springs, abounding with water.
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔ resisi hɔ, wɔwoo me ansa na nkokoɔ reba,
Before the mountains were settled, Yea, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuo anaa dɔteɛ biara a ɛwɔ asase soɔ.
Ere yet he had made the land and the wastes, And the first of the clods of the earth.
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ soro, ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ too ebunu no ani no,
When he framed the heavens, I was there; When he drew a circle upon the face of the deep;
28 ɛberɛ a ɔbɔɔ omununkum wɔ soro na ɔde ebunu mu nsutire tintim hɔ denden no,
When he made firm the sky above, And the fountains of the deep rushed forth;
29 ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ maa ɛpo sɛdeɛ nsuo no rentra ne hyeɛ, ne ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa asase fapem no,
When he gave to the sea its bounds, that the waters should not pass their border; When he marked out 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,
Then was I by him as a master-builder; I was his delight day by day, Exulting before him at all times;
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne ewiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adasamma mu.
Exulting in the habitable part of his earth, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32 “Enti me mma, montie me; nhyira ne wɔn a wɔnante mʼakwan so.
“Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me! For happy are they who keep my ways!
33 Montie mʼakwankyerɛ na monhunu nyansa; mommu mo ani nngu so.
Hear instruction, and be wise! Yea, reject it not!
34 Nhyira ne onipa a ɔtie me, ɔwɛn mʼaboboano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
Happy the man who hearkeneth to me, Who watcheth day by day at my gates, Who waiteth at the posts of my doors;
35 Na obiara a ɔhunu me no nya nkwa na ɔnya anisɔ firi Awurade nkyɛn.
For he that findeth me findeth life, And obtaineth favor from the LORD;
36 Na deɛ woanhwehwɛ me no ha ne ho na wɔn a wɔtane me no dɔ owuo.”
But he who misseth me doeth violence to himself; All they who hate me love death.”
