1Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 3For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 5Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 8Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.4.9 a crown…: or, she shall compass thee with a crown of glory 10Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 11I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 12When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 13Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
14¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
20¶ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.4.22 health: Heb. medicine
23¶ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.4.23 with…: Heb. above all keeping 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.4.24 a froward…: Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips 25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.4.26 let…: or, all thy ways shall be ordered aright 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
Pere Hwehwɛ Nyansa
1Me mma, muntie me, muntie agya nkyerɛkyerɛ;
monyɛ aso na moanya ntease.
2Mema mo adesua a ɛkɔ anim,
enti munnnyaa me nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
3Efisɛ na me nso, meyɛ mʼagya babarima,
meda so yɛ akokoaa no, na me na ani gye me ho.
4Na ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ me se,
“Ma me nsɛm nni wo koma mu dɛm,
di me nkyerɛkyerɛ so na wubenya nkwa.
5Nya nyansa, nya ntease;
mma wo werɛ mfi me nsɛm anaa ntwe wo ho mfi ho.
6Nnyaw nyansa hɔ, na ɛbɛbɔ wo ho ban;
dɔ no, na ɛbɛhwɛ wo so.
7Nyansa boro biribiara so; enti hwehwɛ nyansa.
Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ne bo te sɛ wʼahode nyinaa de, nanso nya ntease.
8Di no ni na ɛbɛma wo so;
yɛ no atuu, na ɛbɛhyɛ wo anuonyam.
9Ɔde nkonimdi nhwiren hankare begu wo ti so
na wama wo ahenkyɛw a ɛyɛ fɛ.”
10Me ba, tie na fa nea meka no,
na wo nkwanna bɛyɛ bebree.
11Mɛkyerɛ wo nyansa kwan so
na mede wo afa akwan a ɛteɛ so.
12Sɛ wonantew a, wʼanammɔntu bɛkɔ waa
na sɛ wutu mmirika a, worenhintiw.
13Di nkyerɛkyerɛ so; na nnyaa mu,
bɔ ho ban yiye, efisɛ ɛyɛ wo nkwa.
14Ntu wo nan nsi amumɔyɛfo kwan so
na nnantew abɔnefo kwan so.
15Kwati no, ntu kwan mfa so;
dan fi so na kɔ wo kwan.
16Efisɛ wɔnyɛɛ bɔne a wontumi nna;
na wɔn nna tew yera kosi sɛ wɔbɛma obi ahwe ase.
17Wodi amumɔyɛsɛm brodo,
na wɔnom kitikitiyɛ nsa.
18Atreneefo kwan te sɛ adekyee hann a edi kan,
ɛkɔ so hyerɛn yiye kodu awia ketee.
19Nanso amumɔyɛfo kwan te sɛ sum kabii;
wonnim nea ɛma wohintiw.
20Me ba, yɛ aso ma nea meka;
tie me nsɛm no yiye.
21Mma emfi wʼani so,
fa sie wo koma mu;
22efisɛ, ɛyɛ nkwa ma wɔn a wohu
ne akwahosan ma nipadua no nyinaa.
23Ne nyinaa akyi, bɔ wo koma ho ban,
efisɛ, ɛno ne wo nkwa asuti.
24Mma oburu kasa mfi wʼano;
mma nkontomposɛm mmɛn wʼano koraa.
25Hwɛ wʼanim tee,
na ma wʼani nkɔ nea ɛwɔ wʼanim no so.
26Bɔ ɔkwan tamaa ma wʼanan
na fa akwan a atim so.
27Mman mfa nifa anaa benkum;
twe wo nan fi bɔne ho.
