1Ohiani a ne nantew ho nni asɛm no
ye sen ɔkwasea a nʼasɛm mfa kwan mu.
2Mmɔdemmɔ a nimdeɛ nka ho no nye,
saa ara na ntɛmpɛ a ɛma obi yera kwan nso nye.
3Onipa agyimisɛm sɛe nʼabrabɔ,
nanso ne koma huru tia Awurade.
4Ahonya frɛfrɛ nnamfonom bebree;
nanso ohiani adamfo gyaw no hɔ.
5Adansekurumni benya nʼakatua,
na nea otwa nkontompo remfa ne ho nni.
6Nnipa pii pɛ adom fi sodifo nkyɛn,
na nea ɔkyɛ ade yɛ obiara adamfo.
7Ohiani abusuafo nyinaa po no,
na saa ara na ne nnamfonom po no!
Mpo ɔhwehwɛ wɔn, pɛ sɛ ɔpa wɔn kyɛw,
nanso onhu wɔn baabiara.
8Nea onya nyansa no dɔ ne kra;
nea ɔpɛ nhumu no nya nkɔso.
9Adansekurumni benya asotwe,
na nea otwa nkontompo no bɛyera.
10Ɛmfata sɛ ɔkwasea bedi taamu,
anaasɛ akoa bedi mmapɔmma so!
11Onipa nyansa ma no ntoboase;
ɛyɛ anuonyam ma obi sɛ obebu nʼani gu mfomso bi so.
12Ɔhene abufuw te sɛ gyata mmubomu,
na nʼadom te sɛ sare so bosu.
13Ɔba kwasea yɛ nʼagya ɔsɛe,
ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo te sɛ ɔdan a ne nwini to ntwa da.
14Afi ne ahonyade yɛ agyapade a efi awofo,
na ɔyere nimdefo fi Awurade.
15Akwadworɔ de nnahɔɔ ba,
na ɔkɔm de ɔkwadwofo.
16Nea odi nkyerɛkyerɛ so no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban,
na nea ogyaagyaa ne ho no bewu.
17Nea ɔyɛ adɔe ma ohiani no yɛ de fɛm Awurade,
na obetua no nea ɔyɛ no so ka.
18Teɛ wo ba, na ɛno mu na anidaso wɔ,
na nyɛ wɔn a wɔde no kɔ owu mu no mu baako.
19Ɛsɛ sɛ onipa a ne koma haw no no nya so asotwe;
sɛ woka ma no a, wobɛyɛ bio.
20Tie afotu na gye nkyerɛkyerɛ to mu,
na awiei no, wubehu nyansa.
21Nhyehyɛe bebree wɔ onipa koma mu,
nanso nea Awurade pɛ no na ɛba mu.
22Nea onipa pɛ ne nokware dɔ;
eye sɛ wobɛyɛ ohiani sen sɛ wobɛyɛ ɔtorofo.
23Awurade suro kɔ nkwa mu;
na onipa de abotɔyam home a ɔhaw bi nni mu.
24Ɔkwadwofo de ne nsa si aduan mu,
na ɛyɛ no anihaw sɛ obeyi akɔ nʼano.
25Twa ɔfɛwdifo mmaa, na atetekwaa bɛfa adwene;
ka nea ɔwɔ nhumu anim, na obenya nimdeɛ.
26Nea ɔbɔ nʼagya korɔn na ɔpam ne na no
yɛ ɔba a ɔde aniwu ne animguase ba.
27Me ba, sɛ wugyae nkyerɛkyerɛ tie a,
wobɛman afi nimdeɛ nsɛm ho.
28Adansekurumni di atɛntrenee ho fɛw;
na omumɔyɛfo ano mene bɔne.
29Wɔasiesie asotwe ama fɛwdifo,
ne mmaabɔ ama nkwaseafo akyi.
1Better the poor whose way of life is blameless
than a fool whose lips are perverse.
2Desire without knowledge is not good –
how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
3A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the Lord.
4Wealth attracts many friends,
but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.
5A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will not go free.
6Many curry favour with a ruler,
and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.
7The poor are shunned by all their relatives –
how much more do their friends avoid them!
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
they are nowhere to be found.19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
8The one who gets wisdom loves life;
the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.
9A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will perish.
10It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury –
how much worse for a slave to rule over princes!
11A person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offence.
12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion,
but his favour is like dew on the grass.
13A foolish child is a father’s ruin,
and a quarrelsome wife is like
the constant dripping of a leaky roof.
14Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
15Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless go hungry.
16Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life,
but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die.
17Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.
18Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
do not be a willing party to their death.
19A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty;
rescue them, and you will have to do it again.
20Listen to advice and accept discipline,
and at the end you will be counted among the wise.
21Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
22What a person desires is unfailing love19:22 Or Greed is a person’s shame;
better to be poor than a liar.
23The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
24A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he will not even bring it back to his mouth!
25Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn prudence;
rebuke the discerning, and they will gain knowledge.
26Whoever robs their father and drives out their mother
is a child who brings shame and disgrace.
27Stop listening to instruction, my son,
and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A corrupt witness mocks at justice,
and the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29Penalties are prepared for mockers,
and beatings for the backs of fools.
