Salomo Mmebusɛm Nkekaho
1Eyinom yɛ Salomo mmebusɛm nkekaho a Yudahene Hesekia afotufo kyerɛwee:
2Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyamhyɛ sɛ wɔde asɛm sie;
sɛ wɔpɛɛpɛɛ asɛm mu nso hyɛ ahemfo anuonyam.
3Sɛnea ɔsoro korɔn na asase mu dɔ no,
saa ara na wɔrentumi nhwehwɛ ahemfo koma mu.
4Sɛ woyi dwetɛ ho fi a,
na ato nea ɛkɔ dwetɛdwumfo nsam;
5Yi amumɔyɛfo fi ɔhene anim,
na trenee bɛma nʼahengua atim.
6Mma wo ho so wɔ ɔhene anim,
na mpere dibea wɔ atitiriw mu;
7Eye ma no sɛ ɔbɛka akyerɛ wo se, “Bra soro ha,”
sen sɛ ɔbɛbrɛ wo ase wɔ otitiriw bi anim.
Nea wode wʼani ahu no
8mpɛ ntɛm mfa nkɔ asennii,
na sɛ awiei no wo yɔnko gu wʼanim ase a
dɛn na wobɛyɛ?
9Sɛ wo ne wo yɔnko di asɛm a
nna obi foforo ahintasɛm adi,
10anyɛ saa a, nea ɔbɛte no begu wʼanim ase
na din bɔne a wubenya no rempepa da.
11Asɛm a wɔka no sɛnea ɛfata no
te sɛ sika kɔkɔɔ a wɔabɔ sɛ aprɛ
de atuatua dwetɛ nsiesiei mu.
12Sikakɔkɔɔ asokaa anaa sikakɔkɔɔ ankasa ahyehyɛde
te sɛ onyansafo animka a ɔde ma nea ɔyɛ aso ma no.
13Sɛnea sukyerɛmma ma wim dwo wɔ otwabere mu no,
saa ara na ɔsomafo nokwafo te ma wɔn a wɔsoma no no;
na ɔma ne wuranom akomatɔyam.
14Omununkum ne mframa a ɛmfa osu mma no
te sɛ onipa a ɔde akyɛde a ɔmmfa mma hoahoa ne ho.
15Ntoboase ma sodifo ti da,
na tɛkrɛmabere tumi bu dompe mu.
16Sɛ wunya ɛwo a, nni ntra so,
ne bebrebe bɛma woafe.
17Ntaa nkɔ wo yɔnko fi,
wo ho fono no a, ɔbɛtan wo.
18Onipa a odi adansekurum tia ne yɔnko no
te sɛ kontibaa, afoa anaa bɛmma a ano yɛ nnam.
19Ɛse a ɛyare ɔkekaw anaa nan a ɛyɛ apakye
te sɛ nea wode wo ho to ɔtorofo so hiada mu.
20Nea ɔto dwom kyerɛ ɔwerɛhowni no,
te sɛ nea ɔpa ntama gu awɔwbere mu
anaa te sɛ nsa nyinyanyinya a wohwie gu apirakuru so.
21Sɛ ɔkɔm de wo tamfo a, ma no aduan nni;
sɛ osukɔm de no a, ma no nsu nnom.
22Sɛ woyɛ saa a, wobɛsosɔ nnyansramma agu nʼatifi,
na Awurade bɛma wo akatua.
23Sɛnea atifi fam mframa de osu ba no,
saa ara na tɛkrɛma a edi nseku de omuna ba.
24Eye sɛ wobɛtena suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi,
sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
25Nsuonwini a ɔkra a atɔ beraw nya no
te sɛ anigyesɛm a efi akyirikyiri.
26Asuti a afono anaa abura a ayɛ pɔtɔɔ
te sɛ ɔtreneeni a ogyaa ne ho ma amumɔyɛfo.
27Enye sɛ wodi ɛwo ntraso,
saa ara na ɛnyɛ anuonyam sɛ obi bɛhwehwɛ nsɛm a mu dɔ mu.
28Onipa a onni ahohyɛso no
te sɛ kuropɔn a nʼafasu abubu agu fam.
More Proverbs of Solomon
1These are more proverbs of Solomon. They were gathered together by the men of Hezekiah, the king of Judah.
2When God hides a matter, he gets glory.
When kings figure out a matter, they get glory.
3The heavens are high and the earth is deep.
In the same way, the minds of kings are impossible to figure out.
4Remove the scum from the silver.
Then the master worker can make something out of it.
5Remove ungodly officials from where the king is.
Then the king can make his throne secure because of the godliness around him.
6Don’t brag in front of the king.
Don’t claim a place among his great men.
7Let the king say to you, “Come up here.”
That’s better than for him to shame you in front of his nobles.
What you have seen with your own eyes
8don’t bring too quickly to court.
What will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?
9If you take your neighbor to court,
don’t tell others any secrets you promised to keep.
10If you do, someone might hear it and put you to shame.
And the charge against you will stand.
11The right ruling at the right time
is like golden apples in silver jewelry.
12A wise judge’s warning to a listening ear
is like a gold earring or jewelry made of fine gold.
13A messenger trusted by the one who sends him
is like a drink cooled by snow at harvest time.
He renews the spirit of his master.
14A person who brags about gifts never given
is like wind and clouds that don’t produce rain.
15If you are patient, you can win an official over to your side.
And gentle words can break a bone.
16If you find honey, eat just enough.
If you eat too much of it, you will throw up.
17Don’t go to your neighbor’s home very often.
If they see too much of you, they will hate you.
18A person who is a false witness against a neighbor
is like a club, a sword or a sharp arrow.
19Trusting someone who is not faithful when trouble comes
is like a broken tooth or a disabled foot.
20You may sing songs to a troubled heart.
But that’s like taking a coat away on a cold day.
It’s like pouring vinegar on a wound.
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat.
If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22By doing these things, you will pile up burning coals on his head.
And the Lord will reward you.
23Like a north wind that brings rain you didn’t expect
is a crafty tongue that brings looks of shock.
24It is better to live on a corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.
25Hearing good news from a land far away
is like drinking cold water when you are tired.
26Sometimes godly people give in to those who are evil.
Then they become like a muddy spring of water or a polluted well.
27It isn’t good for you to eat too much honey.
And you shouldn’t try to search out matters too deep for you.
28A person without self-control
is like a city whose walls are broken through.
