Proverbs 6
1 [My] son, if you become surety for your friend, you shall deliver your hand to an enemy.
Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
2 For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
sɛ nea wokae ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afiri ayi wo a,
3 [My] son, do what I command you, and deliver yourself; for on your friend's account you are come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even your friend for whom you are become surety.
ɛno de yɛ eyi, me ba, na fa tetew wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka wo no nti: fa ahobrɛase kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber with your eyelids;
Mma wʼani nkum na ntɔ nko.
5 that you may deliver yourself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
Gye wo ho, sɛnea ɔforote guan fi ɔbɔmmɔfo nsam anaa sɛnea anomaa guan fi ofirisumfo afiri mu no.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
Ɔkwadwofo, kɔ ɔtɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hu nyansa!
7 For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
Onni ɔsahene, onni ɔhwɛfo anaa sodifo bi,
8 he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labors kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
nanso ɔde aduan sie wɔ ahuhurubere mu, ɔboaboa nnuan ano wɔ twabere.
9 How long will you lie, O sluggard? and when will you awake out of sleep?
Wo, ɔkwadwofo, wobɛda akosi da bɛn? Wubenyan bere bɛn?
10 You sleep a little, and you rest a little, and you slumber a short [time], and you fold your arms over your breast a little.
Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra,
11 Then poverty comes upon you as an evil traveller, and lack as a swift courier: but if you be diligent, your harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo na ahokyere atow akyere wo sɛnea okura otuo.
12 A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a odi atoro kyin,
13 And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
nea obu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ ade,
14 [His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
nea ɔde ne koma mu nnaadaa bɔ pɔw bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba bere biara.
15 Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
Ɛno nti amanehunu bɛba no so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduru.
16 For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
Nneɛma asia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma ason na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwade:
17 The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atoro tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a edi bem gu,
18 and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
koma a edwen amumɔyɛ ho, anan a etutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
19 An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
ɔdansekurumni a odi atoro ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
20 [My] son, keep the laws of your father, and reject not the ordinances of your mother:
Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛde na nnyaa wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
21 but bind them upon your soul continually, and hang them as a chain about your neck.
Fa kyekyere wo koma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
22 Whenever you walk, lead this along and let it be with you; that it may talk with you when you wake.
Wonantew a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo kwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wunyan a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
23 For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
Na saa ahyɛde yi yɛ kanea saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛso nteɛso yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
24 to keep you continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
ɛtwe wo fi ɔbea a onni suban pa no ho, fi ɔbeawarefo huhuni tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
25 Let not the desire of beauty overcome you, neither be you caught by your eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ, mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
26 For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.
efisɛ oguamanfo ma wʼanuonyam yɛ sɛ brodosin, na obi yere gyigye wo kɔ owu mu.
27 Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
Obi betumi asɔ gya agu ne srɛ so a nhyew nʼatade ana?
28 or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
Obi betumi anantew nnyansramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ nʼanan ho ana?
29 So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforo yere da no te; obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka no no, remfa ne ho nni da.
30 It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfo a wakowia ade animtiaa sɛ ɔkɔm de no na ɔde rekodwudwo ano nti.
31 but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
Mmom, sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ otua mmɔho ason; sɛ ɛbɛma wahwere ne fi agyapade nyinaa mpo a.
32 But the adulterer through lack of sense procures destruction to his soul.
Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe aware no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
33 He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
Ɔhwe ne animguase na obenya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
34 For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Ninkutwe hwanyan okunu abufuw na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔbɔ biara nni mu.
35 He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmude, sɛ ɛso sɛ dɛn mpo a.
