Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
2 Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
4 Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
14 “Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
“Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
18 Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
19 For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
23 Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
25 Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
