Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Me mma, montie me, montie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso na moanya nteaseɛ.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Mema mo adenim a ɛkɔ anim, enti monnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child in the sight of my mother.
Meyɛ ɔbabanin wɔ mʼagya fie, meda so yɛ abadomaa na me maame di me bakorɔ no,
4 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words. Keep my commandments, and live.
ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ma me nsɛm nni wʼakoma mu dɛm di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa.
5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
Nya nyansa, nya nteaseɛ; mma wo werɛ mfiri me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfiri ho.
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
Nnya nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban; dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa. Ɛwom sɛ ne boɔ te sɛ wʼahodeɛ nyinaa deɛ nanso nya nteaseɛ.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor when you embrace her.
Di no nni na ɛbɛpagya wo; yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo animuonyam.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendor to you.”
Ɔde nkonimdie nhwiren hankra bɛgu wo tiri so na wama wo ahenkyɛ a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Me ba, tie na fa deɛ meka no, na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansakwan na mede wo afa akwan a ɛtene so.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Sɛ wonante a, wʼanammɔntuo bɛkɔ yɛɛ na sɛ wotu mmirika a, worensunti.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu bɔ ho ban yie, ɛfiri sɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Ntu wo nan nsi amumuyɛfoɔ kwan so na nnante abɔnefoɔ kwan so.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so; dane firi so na kɔ wo baabi.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
Ɛfiri sɛ wɔntumi nna kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛyɛ bɔne; na wɔntɔ nko kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Amumuyɛsɛm yɛ wɔn aduane, na basabasayɛ yɛ wɔn nsa.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect day.
Teneneefoɔ kwan te sɛ adekyeɛ hann a ɛdi ɛkan, ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yie kɔduru awia ketee.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
Nanso, amumuyɛfoɔ kwan te sɛ esum kabii; wɔnnim deɛ ɛma wɔsunti.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Me ba, yɛ aso ma deɛ meka; tie me nsɛm no yie.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart.
Mma ɛmfiri wʼani so, fa sie wʼakoma mu;
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wɔhunu ne akwahosan ma onipadua no nyinaa.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wʼakoma ho ban, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asutire.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Mma akontonkyesɛm mfiri wʼano; mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Hwɛ wʼanim tee, na ma wʼani nkɔ deɛ ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Bɔ ɛkwan tamaa ma wo nan na fa akwan a atim so.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Mmane mfa nifa anaa benkum; twe wo nan firi bɔne ho.
