< Mmɛbusɛm 8 >
1 Tie: Nyansa refrɛ. Nteaseɛ ma ne nne so.
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
2 Ɛkwan no so, sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ, nkwantanan no so, ɛhɔ na ɛgyina,
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
3 apono a ɛkɔ kuropɔn no mu ho, ɛteam wɔ aboboano hɔ sɛ,
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
4 “Ao, mo mmarimma na meteam mefrɛ; meteam frɛ adasamma nyinaa.
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
5 Mo a moyɛ ntetekwaa, mo mma mo ani nte; mo a moyɛ nkwaseafoɔ, monnya nteaseɛ.
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
6 Montie, na mewɔ nsɛm pa bi ka kyerɛ mo; mebue mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ.
Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
7 Mʼano ka deɛ ɛyɛ nokorɛ, ɛfiri sɛ mʼanofafa kyiri amumuyɛsɛm.
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
8 Mʼano mu nsɛm nyinaa yɛ pɛ; ebiara nni mu a ɛyɛ nkontompo anaa nnaadaasɛm.
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
9 Ne nyinaa mu da hɔ ma deɛ ɔwɔ nhunumu; ɛho nni asɛm ma wɔn a wɔwɔ nimdeɛ.
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
10 Mompo dwetɛ na momfa mʼakwankyerɛ, momfa nimdeɛ na mompo sikakɔkɔɔ amapa.
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
11 Ɛfiri sɛ nimdeɛ som bo sene mmota, na wɔrentumi mfa deɛ wopɛ biara ntoto ho.
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
12 “Me, nyansa, mene aniteɛ na ɛteɛ; nimdeɛ ne nhunumu wɔ me.
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
13 Sɛ wɔsuro Awurade ɛne sɛ wɔkyiri bɔne; mekyiri ahantan ne ahomasoɔ, ɔbra bɔne ne nnaadaasɛm.
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
14 Afotuo ne atemmuo pa wɔ me; mewɔ nteaseɛ ne tumi.
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
15 Me so na ahemfo nam di adeɛ na sodifoɔ nam me so hyehyɛ mmara a ɛyɛ pɛ;
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
16 Mmapɔmma de me bu ɔman ne atitire nyinaa a wɔdi asase so ɔhene.
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
17 Medɔ wɔn a wɔdɔ me, na wɔn a wɔhwehwɛ me no hunu me.
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
18 Ahonyadeɛ ne animuonyam wɔ me nkyɛn, ahodeɛ a ɛkyɛre ne yiedie nso saa ara.
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
19 Mʼaba yɛ sene sikakɔkɔɔ amapa; deɛ ɛfiri me mu boro dwetɛ a wɔasɔne so so.
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
20 Tenenee akwan so na menam atɛntenenee akwan so,
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
21 mede ahodeɛ ma wɔn a wɔdɔ me na mehyɛ wɔn adekoradan ma ma.
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 “Awurade bɔɔ me sɛ nʼabɔdeɛ mu abakan dii ne tete nneyɛɛ anim;
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
23 ɔyii me sii hɔ firi tete, ansa na ewiase rehyɛ aseɛ.
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
24 Wɔwoo me ansa na wɔrebɔ ɛpo kakraka no ansa na wɔreyɛ nsutire a nsuo ahyɛ no ma no;
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
25 ansa na wɔde mmepɔ resisi hɔ, wɔwoo me ansa na nkokoɔ reba,
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
26 ansa na ɔbɔɔ asase ne ne mfuo anaa dɔteɛ biara a ɛwɔ asase soɔ.
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on the earth.
27 Mewɔ hɔ ansa na wɔbɔɔ soro, ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ too ebunu no ani no,
I was there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
28 ɛberɛ a ɔbɔɔ omununkum wɔ soro na ɔde ebunu mu nsutire tintim hɔ denden no,
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
29 ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa hyeɛ maa ɛpo sɛdeɛ nsuo no rentra ne hyeɛ, ne ɛberɛ a ɔtwaa asase fapem no,
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support the earth.
30 na meyɛ odwumfoɔ a mete ne nkyɛn. Anigyeɛ hyɛɛ me ma daa na medii ahurisie wɔ nʼanim ɛberɛ biara,
I was at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
31 na mʼani gye wɔ ne ewiase nyinaa mu na mʼani ka wɔ adasamma mu.
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
32 “Enti me mma, montie me; nhyira ne wɔn a wɔnante mʼakwan so.
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
33 Montie mʼakwankyerɛ na monhunu nyansa; mommu mo ani nngu so.
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
34 Nhyira ne onipa a ɔtie me, ɔwɛn mʼaboboano daa, na ɔtwɛn wɔ hɔ.
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
35 Na obiara a ɔhunu me no nya nkwa na ɔnya anisɔ firi Awurade nkyɛn.
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
36 Na deɛ woanhwehwɛ me no ha ne ho na wɔn a wɔtane me no dɔ owuo.”
But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”