Mmɛbusɛm 8
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Nteaseɛ ma ne nne so.
Doth not, wisdom, cry aloud? and, understanding, send forth her voice?
2 Ɛkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na ɛgyina,
At the top of the high places above the way, at the place where paths meet, she taketh her stand:
3 apono a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu ho, ɛteam wɔ aboboano hɔ sɛ,
Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city, —at the going in of the openings, she shouteth: —
4 “Ao, mo mmarimma na meteam mefrɛ; meteam frɛ adasamma nyinaa.
Unto you, O men, I call, and, my voice, is unto the sons of men;
5 Mo a moyɛ ntetekwaa, mo mma mo ani nte; mo a moyɛ nkwaseafoɔ, monnya nteaseɛ.
Understand, ye simple ones, shrewdness, and, ye dullards understand sense;
6 Montie, na mewɔ nsɛm pa bi ka kyerɛ mo; mebue mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ.
Hear, for, princely things, will I speak, and the opening of my lips shall be of equity;
7 Mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ nokorɛ, ɛfiri sɛ mʼanofafa kyiri amumuyɛsɛm.
For, faithfulness, shall my mouth softly utter, but, the abomination of my lips, shall be lawlessness;
8 Mʼano mu nsɛm nyinaa yɛ pɛ; ebiara nni mu a ɛyɛ nkontompo anaa nnaadaasɛm.
In righteousness, shall be all the sayings of my mouth, nothing therein, shall be crafty or perverse;
9 Ne nyinaa mu da hɔ ma deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu; ɛho nni asɛm ma wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ.
All of them, shall be plain, to them who would understand, and just, to such as would gain knowledge.
10 Mompo dwetɛ na momfa mʼakwankyerɛ, momfa nimdeɛ na mompo sikakɔkɔɔ amapa.
Receive my correction, and not silver, and knowledge, rather than choicest gold.
11 Ɛfiri sɛ nimdeɛ som bo sene mmota, na wɔrentumi mfa deɛ wopɛ biara ntoto ho.
For better is wisdom, than ornaments of coral, and, no delightful things, can equal her.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene aniteɛ na ɛteɛ; nimdeɛ ne nhunumu wɔ me.
I, wisdom, inhabit shrewdness, —and, the knowledge of sagacious things, I gain.
13 Sɛ wɔsuro Awurade ɛne sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne; mekyiri ahantan ne ahomasoɔ, ɔbra bɔne ne nnaadaasɛm.
The reverence of Yahweh, is to hate wickedness: pride, arrogance, and the way of wickedness; And a mouth of perverse things, do I hate.
14 Afotuo ne atemmuo pa wɔ me; mewɔ nteaseɛ ne tumi.
Mine, are counsel, and effective working, I, am understanding, mine, is valour:
15 Me so na ahemfo nam di adeɛ na sodifoɔ nam me so hyehyɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ;
By me, kings reign, and dignitaries decree righteousness;
16 Mmapɔmma de me bu ɔman ne atitire nyinaa a wɔdi asase so ɔhene.
By me, rulers govern, and nobles—all the righteous judges:
17 Medɔ wɔn a wɔdɔ me, na wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ me no hunu me.
I love, them who love me, and, they who diligently seek me, find me:
18 Ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahodeɛ a ɛkyɛre ne yiedie nso saa ara.
Riches and honour, are with me, lordly wealth, and righteousness;
19 Mʼaba yɛ sene sikakɔkɔɔ amapa; deɛ ɛfiri me mu boro dwetɛ a wɔasɔne so so.
Better is my fruit, than gold—yea fine gold, and mine increase, than choice silver;
20 Tenenee akwan so na menam atɛntenenee akwan so,
In the way of righteousness, I march along, in the middle of the paths of justice:
21 mede ahodeɛ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan ma ma.
That I may cause them who love me to inherit substance, and, their treasuries, I may fill.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔdeɛ mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛɛ anim;
Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;
23 ɔyii me sii hɔ firi tete, ansa na ewiase rehyɛ aseɛ.
At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ ɛpo kakraka no ansa na wɔreyɛ nsutire a nsuo ahyɛ no ma no;
When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔ resisi hɔ, wɔwoo me ansa na nkokoɔ reba,
Ere yet the mountains had been settled, before the hills, had I been brought forth;
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuo anaa dɔteɛ biara a ɛwɔ asase soɔ.
Or ever he had made the land and the wastes, or the top of the dry parts of the world:
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ soro, ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ too ebunu no ani no,
When he prepared the heavens, there, was I! When he decreed a vault upon the face of the resounding deep;
28 ɛberɛ a ɔbɔɔ omununkum wɔ soro na ɔde ebunu mu nsutire tintim hɔ denden no,
When he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the resounding deep, waxed strong;
29 ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ maa ɛpo sɛdeɛ nsuo no rentra ne hyeɛ, ne ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa asase fapem no,
When he fixed for the sea its bound, that, the waters, should not go beyond his bidding, when he decreed 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 became I beside him, a firm and sure worker, then became I filled with delight, day by day, exulting before him on every occasion;
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne ewiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adasamma mu.
Exulting in the fruitful land of his earth, Yea, my fulness of delight, was with the sons of men.
32 “Enti me mma, montie me; nhyira ne wɔn a wɔnante mʼakwan so.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, for how happy are they who, to my ways, pay regard!
33 Montie mʼakwankyerɛ na monhunu nyansa; mommu mo ani nngu so.
Hear ye correction, and be wise, and do not neglect.
34 Nhyira ne onipa a ɔtie me, ɔwɛn mʼaboboano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
How happy the man that doth hearken to me, —keeping guard at my doors, day by day, watching at the posts of my gates;
35 Na obiara a ɔhunu me no nya nkwa na ɔnya anisɔ firi Awurade nkyɛn.
For, he that findeth me, findeth life, and hath obtained favour from Yahweh;
36 Na deɛ woanhwehwɛ me no ha ne ho na wɔn a wɔtane me no dɔ owuo.”
But, he that misseth me, wrongeth his own soul, all who hate me, love death.
