1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: 2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.23.5 set…: Heb. cause thine eyes to fly upon
6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. 9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:23.10 landmark: or, bound 11For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
12Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 13Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. 15My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.23.15 even…: or, even I will rejoice 16Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.23.18 end: or, reward
19Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:23.20 of flesh: Heb. of their flesh 21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 22Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 24The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. 26My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 27For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.23.28 as for…: or, as a robber
29Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.23.32 an…: or, a cockatrice 33Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.23.34 the midst…: Heb. the heart of the sea 35They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.23.35 I felt…: Heb. I knew it not
1Sɛ wo ne ɔhene bi to nsa didi a,
hwɛ nea esi wʼanim no yiye,
2Sɛ woyɛ adidibrada a,
hyɛ wo ho so.
3Nni nʼaduan akɔnnɔ akɔnnɔ no akyi,
efisɛ saa aduan no daadaa nnipa.
4Mmiri wo mogya ani mpɛ sika;
hu nyansa na tɔ wo bo ase.
5Wʼani bɔɔ sika so ara pɛ, na atu ayera,
ampa ara ebefuw ntaban
na atu akɔ wim sɛ ɔkɔre.
6Nni obi a ɔyɛ pɛpɛe aduan,
nni nʼakɔnnɔ aduan akyi;
7efisɛ ɔyɛ obi a
bere biara osusuw sika ho.
Ɔka se, “Didi na nom,”
nanso ɛnyɛ ne koma mu.
8Kakra a woadi no wobɛfe,
na ɛno nti wo nkamfo so remma mfaso.
9Nkasa nkyerɛ ɔkwasea,
efisɛ ɔremfa nyansa a ɛwɔ wo kasa mu no.
10Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye ngu,
na ntra ɔhye nkɔ ayisaa mfuw mu,
11efisɛ wɔn Gyefo yɛ den,
na obedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn.
12Ma wo koma mmra nkyerɛkyerɛ so,
na wɛn wʼaso tie nimdeɛ.
13Ntwentwɛn abofra nteɛso so;
sɛ wode abaa teɛ no a, ɔrenwu.
14Fa abaa twe nʼaso
na gye ne kra fi owu mu.
15Me ba, sɛ wo koma hu nyansa a,
ɛno de, me koma ani begye;
16sɛ wʼano ka nea ɛteɛ a
me mu ade nyinaa ani begye.
17Mma wʼani mmere abɔnefo,
mmom bɔ Awurade suro ho mmɔden bere biara.
18Ampa ara anidaso wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye,
na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
19Me ba, tie, na hu nyansa,
ma wo koma mfa ɔkwantrenee so.
20Mfa wo ho mmɔ akɔwensafo
anaasɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ nam mmoroso ho,
21efisɛ, akɔwensafo ne adidibradafo bɛyɛ ahiafo,
na anikum fura wɔn ntamagow.
22Tie wʼagya a ɔwoo wo no,
na sɛ wo na bɔ aberewa a, mmu no animtiaa.
23Tɔ nokware na ntɔn da;
nya nyansa, ahohyɛso ne nhumu.
24Ɔtreneeni agya wɔ anigye bebree;
nea ɔwɔ ɔba nyansafo no ani gye ne ho.
25Ma wʼagya ne wo na ani nnye;
ma ɔbea a ɔwoo wo no nnya ahosɛpɛw.
26Me ba, fa wo koma ma me
na ma wʼani nkɔ mʼakwan ho,
27na oguamanfo yɛ amoa donkudonku
ɔyere huhuni yɛ ɔdaadaafo.
28Ɔtɛw, twɛn, te sɛ ɔkwanmukafo,
na ɔma mmarima mu atorofo dɔɔso.
29Hena na wɔadome no? Hena na odi awerɛhow?
Hena na odi aperepere? Hena na onwiinwii?
Hena na ɔwɔ atape nko ara? Hena na mogya ada nʼani so?
30Wɔn a wɔkyɛ nsa ho,
na wɔka nsa a wɔafrafra hwɛ.
31Nhwɛ nsa ani kɔkɔɔ no haa,
bere a ɛretwa yerɛw yerɛw wɔ kuruwa mu,
na ɛkɔ yɔɔ no.
32Awiei no, ɛka te sɛ ɔwɔ
na ɛwɔ bɔre te sɛ ahurutoa.
33Wʼani behu nneɛma a wunhuu da,
na woadwene nneɛma basabasa ho.
34Wobɛtɔ ntintan te sɛ hyɛn mu dwumayɛni a,
okura hyɛn dua a, ɛrehinhim mu den, na ehinhim wɔ po so.
35Na wobɛka se, “Wɔbɔ me, nanso mimpira.
Wɔboro me, nanso mente ɔyaw biara.
Bere bɛn na menyan
akɔpɛ nsa anom bio?”
