Mmɛbusɛm 8
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Nteaseɛ ma ne nne so.
Doth not wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice?
2 Ɛkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na ɛgyina,
In the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she standeth;
3 apono a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu ho, ɛteam wɔ aboboano hɔ sɛ,
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she crieth aloud:
4 “Ao, mo mmarimma na meteam mefrɛ; meteam frɛ adasamma nyinaa.
Unto you, O men, 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, understand subtilty; 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 will speak excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 Mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ nokorɛ, ɛfiri sɛ mʼanofafa kyiri amumuyɛsɛm.
For my mouth shall utter 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 righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse 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 him that understandeth, and right to them that 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 rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto her.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene aniteɛ na ɛteɛ; nimdeɛ ne nhunumu wɔ me.
I wisdom have made subtilty my dwelling, and find out knowledge [and] discretion.
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 arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Afotuo ne atemmuo pa wɔ me; mewɔ nteaseɛ ne tumi.
Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might.
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 those that seek me diligently shall find me.
18 Ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahodeɛ a ɛkyɛre ne yiedie nso saa ara.
Riches and honour are with me; [yea], durable riches and righteousness.
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 judgment:
21 mede ahodeɛ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan ma ma.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔdeɛ mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛɛ anim;
The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 ɔyii me sii hɔ firi tete, ansa na ewiase rehyɛ aseɛ.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ ɛpo kakraka no ansa na wɔreyɛ nsutire a nsuo ahyɛ no ma no;
When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔ resisi hɔ, wɔwoo me ansa na nkokoɔ reba,
Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuo anaa dɔteɛ biara a ɛwɔ asase soɔ.
While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ soro, ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ too ebunu no ani no,
When he established the heavens, I was there: when he set 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 sides above: when the fountains of the deep became strong:
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 bound, that the waters should not transgress his commandment: 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 I was by him, [as] a master workman: and I was daily [his] delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne ewiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adasamma mu.
Rejoicing in his habitable 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, [my] sons, hearken unto me: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Montie mʼakwankyerɛ na monhunu nyansa; mommu mo ani nngu so.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Nhyira ne onipa a ɔtie me, ɔwɛn mʼaboboano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 Na obiara a ɔhunu me no nya nkwa na ɔnya anisɔ firi Awurade nkyɛn.
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36 Na deɛ woanhwehwɛ me no ha ne ho na wɔn a wɔtane me no dɔ owuo.”
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
