Mmebusɛm 7
1 Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie na kora mʼahyɛde wɔ wo mu.
My son, keep my sayings, and, my commandments, treasure by thee;
2 Di mʼahyɛde so na wubenya nkwa; bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ nea wodɔ no.
Keep my commandments and live, and mine instruction, as the pupil of thine eye;
3 Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho; kyerɛw no yiye gu wo koma pon so.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them, on the tablet of thy heart;
4 Ka kyerɛ nyansa se, “Woyɛ me nuabea,” na frɛ ntease wo busuani;
Say unto wisdom, My sister, thou! and, an acquaintance, call thou, understanding:
5 Wɔbɛtwe wo afi ɔbeawaresɛefo ho, afi ɔbeawarefo huhuni nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
That thou mayest be kept, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who, with her speeches, doth flatter.
6 Me fi mfɛnsere ano, mede mʼani faa mfɛnsere mu.
For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
7 Mihuu wɔ ntetekwaafo mu, mehyɛɛ mmerante no mu baako nsow, ɔbabun a onni adwene.
And saw among the simple ones, discerned among the youths, A young man lacking sense;
8 Na ɔnam borɔn a ɛbɛn ɔbea no fi so a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbea no fi
Passing through the street, near her corner, and, on the way to her house, he sauntered along;
9 bere a onwini redwo, na anim rebiribiri no.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the midst of the night, and the gloom;
10 Afei ɔbea bi fi behyiaa no a wasiesie ne ho sɛ oguamanfo a nnaadaa wɔ ne koma mu.
And lo! a woman, came to meet him, attired as one unchaste, of a wily heart.
11 (Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho, ɔntena fie koraa;
Boisterous, is she, and rebellious, In her house, abide not her feet;
12 nnɛ wohu no mmɔnten so, ɔkyena na ɔte aguabɔbea, ɔtetɛw wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
Now outside, now in the broadways, and, near every corner, she lieth in wait:
13 Osoo ne mu few nʼano, wamfɛre, na ɔkae se,
So she caught him, and kissed him, and, embolding her face, she said to him:
14 “Mewɔ asomdwoe afɔrebɔde wɔ fie; nnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
Peace-offerings, are by me, to-day, have I paid my vows;
15 Enti mebae sɛ merebehyia wo; mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahu wo!
For this cause, came I forth to meet thee, to seek diligently thy face, and I have found thee:
16 Mato me mpa, mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduru a efi Misraim.
Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn of Egypt;
17 Mede nnuhuam apete me mpa so: kurobow, pɛprɛ ne dupapo.
I have sprinkled my bed, with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon:
18 Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkosi anɔpa;
Come! let us take our fill of endearments, until morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses;
19 Me kunu nni fie; watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛ.
For the husband is not in his house, he hath gone on a journey afar;
20 Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sika kotoku ma na ɔremma kosi ɔsram no kurokumatwa bere mu.”
A bag of silver, hath he taken in his hand, On the day of the full moon, will he enter his house.
21 Ɔde tɛkrɛmakyene bɔɔ no adafa; ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no dae.
She turneth him aside, with her great persuasiveness, —with the flattery of her lips, she compelleth him:
22 Odii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ te sɛ nantwi a ɔrekɔ akumii, anaa ɔwansan a ɔde ne ti rekɔhyɛ hankare fi mu
Going after her instantly, as an ox, to the slaughter, he entereth, and, as in fetters, unto the correction of a fool.
23 kosi sɛ bɛmma bɛwɔ ne brɛbo mu, te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afiri mu na onnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
Until an arrow cleaveth his liver, as a bird hasteth into a snare, and knoweth not, that, for his life, it is!
24 Na afei, me mma, muntie me; monyɛ aso mma nea meka.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend, to the sayings of my mouth;
25 Mommma mo koma mpatiri nkɔ no so na momman mmfa nʼakwan so.
Let not thy heart, turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray, in her paths.
26 Bebree na wɔnam no so ahwehwe ase; wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
For, many, wounded, hath she caused to fall, —yea strong men, slain wholly by her:
