Proverbs 5
1 [My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply your ear to my words;
Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
2 that you may keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives you a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
3 for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases your palate:
Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
4 but afterwards you will find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
5 For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
Nʼanan kɔ owu mu; nʼanammɔntutu kɔ ɔda mu tee. (Sheol h7585)
6 For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
7 Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
8 Remove your way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
9 lest you give away your life to others, and your substance to the merciless:
anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
10 lest strangers be filled with your strength, and your labors come into the houses of strangers;
anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
11 And you repent at last, when the flesh of your body is consumed,
Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
12 and you shall say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
13 I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
15 Drink waters out of your own vessels, and out of your own springing wells.
Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
16 Let not waters out of your fountain be spilt by you, but let your waters go into your streets.
So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
17 Let them be only your own, and let no stranger partake with you.
Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
18 Let your fountain of water be [truly] your own; and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
19 Let [your] loving hart and your graceful colt company with you, and let her be considered your own, and be with you at all times; for ravished with her love you shall be greatly increased.
Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
20 Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold yourself in the arms of a woman not your own.
Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
22 Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
23 Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
