Mmɛbusɛm 6
1 Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi, sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
My son, if you have become collateral for your neighbor, if you have struck your hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 sɛ deɛ wokaeɛ ayi ka ama wo na sɛ wʼano asɛm afidie ayi wo a,
you are trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared with the words of your mouth.
3 ɛnneɛ yɛ yei, me ba, na fa tete wo ho, sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka woɔ no nti: fa ahobrɛaseɛ kɔ nʼanim; na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, since you have come into the hand of your neighbor. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with your neighbor.
4 Mma wʼani nkum na nntɔ nko.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Gye wo ho, sɛdeɛ ɔforoteɛ dwane firi ɔbɔmmɔfoɔ nsam anaa sɛdeɛ anomaa dwane firi fidisumfoɔ afidie mu.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6 Ɔkwadwofoɔ, kɔ atɛtea nkyɛn; hwɛ nʼakwan, na hunu nyansa!
Go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways, and be wise;
7 Ɔnni ɔsahene, ɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ anaa sodifoɔ bi,
which having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 nanso, ɔde aduane sie wɔ ahuhuro ɛberɛ mu ɔboaboa nnuane ano wɔ twaberɛ.
provides her bread in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 Wo, ɔkwadwofoɔ, wobɛda akɔsi da bɛn? Wɔbɛnyane ɛberɛ bɛn?
How long will you sleep, sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra, nsa a woabobɔ de rehome kakra,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafoɔ na ahokyere ato ahyɛ wo so sɛ deɛ ɔkura tuo.
so your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a ɔde atorɔ kyini,
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 deɛ ɔbu nʼani, na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ adeɛ,
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 deɛ ɔde nʼakoma mu nnaadaa bɔ ɛpɔ bɔne, na ɔde mpaapaemu ba ɛberɛ biara.
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
15 Ɛno enti amanehunu bɛba ne so prɛko pɛ; wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduro.
Therefore his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that without remedy.
16 Nneɛma nsia na Awurade mpɛ, nneɛma nson na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwadeɛ:
There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
17 ani a ɛtra ntɔn, atorɔ tɛkrɛma, nsa a ɛka mogya a ɛdi bem guo,
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 akoma a ɛdwene amumuyɛ ho, nan a ɛtutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are swift in running to mischief,
19 Ɔdansekurumni a ɔdi atorɔ ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
a false witness who utters lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.
20 Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛdeɛ na nnyaa wo maame nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Fa kyekyere wʼakoma ho daa; na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
Bind them continually on your heart. Tie them around your neck.
22 Wonante a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo ɛkwan; sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo; sɛ wonyane a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it will talk with you.
23 Na saa ahyɛdeɛ yi yɛ kanea; saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann, na ahohyɛsoɔ ntenesoɔ yi yɛ nkwa kwan,
For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
24 ɛtwe wo firi ɔbaa a ɔnni suban pa no ho, firi ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
to keep you from the immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
26 ɛfiri sɛ, odwamanfoɔ de animguaseɛ bɛbrɛ wo, na obi yere gyegye wo kɔ owuo mu.
For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 Obi bɛtumi asɔ ogya agu ne srɛ so a ɛnhye nʼatadeɛ anaa?
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Obi bɛtumi anante gyasramma so a mpumpunnya mmobɔ ne nan ho anaa?
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
29 Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforɔ yere da no teɛ obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka noɔ no remfa ne ho nni da.
So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wakɔwia adeɛ animtiaa sɛ ɛkɔm de no na ɔde rekɔdwodwo ano enti.
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry,
31 Mmom sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtua ka mmɔho nson; sɛ ɛhia sɛ wɔtɔn ne fie agyapadeɛ nyinaa mpo a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtɔn.
but if he is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth of his house.
32 Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe awadeɛ no nni adwene; obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul.
33 Ɔboro ne animguaseɛ na ɔbɛnya, na nʼahohora rempepa da.
He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away.
34 Ninkunutweɛ hwanyane okunu abufuo na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔborɔ biara nni mu.
For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance.
35 Ɔrennye mpata biara; na ɔbɛpo adanmudeɛ, sɛ ɛso sɛ ɛdeɛn mpo a.
He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
