Mmebusɛm 27
1 Mfa ɔkyena nhoahoa wo ho, na wunnim nea ɛda bi de bɛba.
Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
2 Ma ɔfoforo nkamfo wo; na ɛnyɛ wo ankasa; ma emfi ɔfoforo anom na ɛnyɛ wo.
Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
3 Ɔbo mu yɛ duru, na nwea yɛ adesoa, nanso ɔkwasea abufuwhyew yɛ duru sen emu biara.
Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand, —but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
4 Abufuw tirim yɛ den, na abufuwhyew sɛe ade, na hena na obetumi agyina ninkutwe ano?
The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
5 Animka a ɛda gua ye sen ɔdɔ a asuma.
Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
6 Apirakuru a efi adamfo nkyɛn no ye sen ɔtamfo mfewano bebrebe.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
7 Ɛwo nyɛ nea wamee akɔnnɔ, nanso nea ɛyɛ nwen mpo yɛ nea ɔkɔm de no no nʼanom dɛ.
The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, but, to the hungry soul, every bitter thing, is sweet.
8 Onipa a wayera ne fi kwan, te sɛ anomaa a wafi ne berebuw mu rekyinkyin.
As a bird wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
9 Ngo ne aduhuam ma koma ani gye, adamfo ho anigye fi nʼafotu pa a ɔma.
Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
10 Nnyaa wʼadamfo ne wʼagya adamfo mu, nkɔ wo nuabarima fi bere a ɔhaw ato wo, na ɔyɔnko a ɔbɛn wo no ye sen onuabarima a ɔwɔ akyirikyiri.
Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour near, than a brother far off.
11 Me ba, hu nyansa na ma me koma ani nnye; ɛno na ɛbɛma manya mmuae ama obiara a obu me animtiaa.
Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
12 Mmadwemma hu asiane na wohintaw, nanso ntetekwaafo kɔ wɔn anim kɔtɔ mu.
A prudent man, seeth calamity—he hideth himself, the simple, pass on—they suffer.
13 Fa atade a ɛhyɛ obi a odi ɔhɔho akagyinamu; sɛ ɔregyina ɔbea huhufo akyi a, fa si awowa.
Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for a stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
14 Sɛ obi teɛ mu hyira ne yɔnko anɔpahema a, wɔbɛfa no sɛ ɛyɛ nnome.
He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
15 Ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ahumtuda nsusosɔ wɔ ɔdan a enwin so;
A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
16 sɛ wopata no a, ɛte sɛ nea wopata mframa anaa wode wo nsa beso ngo mu.
He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
17 Dade sew dade, saa ara na onipa sew ɔfoforo.
Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a man, sharpen the face of his friend.
18 Nea ɔhwɛ borɔdɔma dua so no bedi so aba, na nea ɔsom ne wura no, wɔbɛhyɛ no anuonyam.
He that guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over his master, shall be honoured.
19 Sɛnea nsu yi animdua kyerɛ no, saa ara na onipa koma da onipa no adi.
As in water, face [answereth] to face, so, the heart of man to man.
Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Kyɛmfɛre wɔ hɔ ma dwetɛ na fononoo wɔ hɔ ma sikakɔkɔɔ, nanso wɔnam nkamfo a onipa nya so na ɛsɔ no hwɛ.
Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, [is to be tried] by what he praiseth.
22 Sɛ wowɔw ɔkwasea wɔ ɔwaduru mu, sɛ wode ɔwɔma wɔw no te sɛnea wusiw aburow a, worentumi nyi agyimisɛm mfi ne ho.
Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
23 Ma ɛnyɛ wo asɛnhia sɛ wubehu wo nguankuw tebea, na ma wʼani nkɔ wo anantwikuw so;
Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
24 efisɛ, ahonya ntena hɔ daa, na ahenkyɛw ntena hɔ mma awo ntoantoaso nyinaa.
For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, from generation to generation: —
25 Sɛ wotwa sare no na foforo fifi, na wɔboaboa nkoko so sare no ano a,
The grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
26 ɛno de, nguantenmma no bɛma wo ntama, na mmirekyi ama sika a ɛtɔ mfuw.
There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
27 Wubenya mmirekyi nufusu bebree ama wo ne wʼabusuafo adi ne aduan ama wo mmaawa.
With, enough goats-milk, for thy food—for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
