Mmebusɛm 5
1 Me ba, yɛ aso ma me nyansa; tie me nhumu nsɛm no yiye,
My son, to my wisdom, attend, and, to mine understanding, incline thou thine ear:
2 sɛnea ɛbɛma woahwɛ yiye, na wʼano akora nimdeɛ.
That thou mayest preserve discretion, —and, as for knowledge, that thy lips may guard it.
3 Efisɛ ɔbea aguaman ano sosɔ ɛwo, na ne kasa yɛ fɔmm sen ngo;
For, with sweet droppings, drip the lips of her that is a stranger, and, smoother than oil, is her mouth;
4 nanso awiei no, ɛyɛ nwen sen bɔnwoma, ɛyɛ nam sɛ afoa anofanu.
But, the latter end of her, is bitter as wormwood, sharp, as a two-edged sword!
Her feet, are going down to death, —on hades, will her steps take firm hold. (Sheol h7585)
6 Onsusuw ɔkwan a ɛkɔ nkwa mu ho; nʼakwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye, nanso onnim.
Lest, the path of life, she should ponder, her tracks have wandered she knoweth not [whither].
7 Enti afei, me mma, muntie me; Monntwe mo ho mmfi nea meka ho.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and do not turn away from the sayings of my mouth.
8 Ɔkwan a ɛmmɛn no no na momfa so; mommmɛn ne fi pon ano,
Keep far from her thy way, and do not go near the opening of her house:
9 anyɛ saa a, mode mo ahoɔden bɛma afoforo na mode mo mfe ama otirimɔdenfo,
Lest thou give, to other men, thy vigour, and thy years, to him that is cruel:
10 anyɛ saa a, ahɔho bɛfom mo ahonyade na mo brɛ de ahonya akɔ afoforo fi.
Lest strange men, be well fed, by thy strength, and, thy toils, be in the house of the alien.
11 Mo nkwanna akyi, mubesi apini, bere a mo honam ne mo nipadua asa no.
So shalt thou grieve in thy latter end, in the failing of thy flesh and of thy healthy condition;
12 Na moaka se, “Na mikyi ahohyɛso! Me koma ampɛ nteɛso!
And thou shalt say—How I hated correction! and, reproof, my heart disdained;
13 Manyɛ osetie amma mʼakyerɛkyerɛfo na mantie me kwankyerɛfo asɛm.
Neither hearkened I to the voice of my teachers, nor, to my instructors, inclined I mine ear:
14 Madu ɔsɛe ano wɔ asafo no nyinaa mu.”
Soon was I in all evil, in the midst of convocation and assembly.
15 Nom nsu fi wʼankasa ahina mu, nsu a ɛteɛ fi wʼankasa abura mu.
Drink thou water out of thine own cistern, and flowing streams out of the midst of thine own well.
16 So ɛsɛ sɛ wʼasuti yiri fa mmɔnten so na wo nsuwa kokɔ ɔman aguabɔbea ana?
Let not thy fountains, flow over, abroad, in the streets, dividings of waters:
17 Ma ɛnyɛ wo nko ara de, a wo ne ahɔho nkyɛ da.
Let them be for thyself, alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Nhyira nka wʼasubura na wʼani nnye wo mmrantebere mu yere ho.
Let thy well-spring be blessed, —and get thy joy from the wife of thy youth: —
19 Ɔte sɛ ɔtwe bere dɔfo, ɔwansan nuonyamfo; ma ne nufu nsɔ wʼani daa na ne dɔ nkyekyere wo.
A loving hind! a graceful doe! let, her bosom, content thee at all times, and, in her love, mayst thou stray evermore.
20 Me ba, adɛn nti na woma ɔbea aguaman kyekyere wo? Adɛn nti na woda ɔbarima foforo bi yere kokom?
Wherefore, then, shouldst thou stray, my son, with a strange woman? or embrace the bosom of a woman unknown?
21 Awurade hu onipa akwan nyinaa, na ɔhwehwɛ ne nyinaa mu.
For, before the eyes of Yahweh, are the ways of a man, —and, all his tracks, doth he consider:
22 Omumɔyɛfo nnebɔne sum no afiri; na ne bɔne ahama kyekyere no papee.
His own iniquities, shall entrap him with the lawless, and, by the cords of his own sin, shall he be seized.
23 Wobewu, esiane ahohyɛso a wonni nti, na wɔayera, esiane wɔn agyennyentwisɛm nti.
He, shall die, for lack of discipline, and, by the abounding of his perversity, shall he be lost.
