1You should want a good name more than you want great riches.
To be highly respected is better than having silver or gold.
2The Lord made rich people and poor people.
That’s what they have in common.
3Wise people see danger and go to a safe place.
But childish people keep going and suffer for it.
4Being humble comes from having respect for the Lord.
This will bring you wealth and honor and life.
5Thorns and traps lie in the paths of evil people.
But those who value their lives stay far away from them.
6Start children off on the right path.
And even when they are old, they will not turn away from it.
7Rich people rule over those who are poor.
Borrowers are slaves to lenders.
8Anyone who plants evil gathers a harvest of trouble.
Their power to treat others badly will be destroyed.
9Those who give freely will be blessed.
That’s because they share their food with those who are poor.
10If you drive away those who make fun of others, fighting also goes away.
Arguing and unkind words will stop.
11A person who has a pure and loving heart and speaks kindly
will be a friend of the king.
12The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge.
But he does away with the words of those who aren’t faithful.
13People who don’t want to work say, “There’s a lion outside!”
Or they say, “I’ll be murdered if I go out into the streets!”
14The mouth of a woman who commits adultery is like a deep pit.
Any man the Lord is angry with falls into it.
15Children are going to do foolish things.
But correcting them will drive that foolishness far away.
16You might treat poor people badly or give gifts to rich people.
Trying to get rich in these ways will instead make you poor.
30 Sayings of Wise People
Saying 1
17Pay attention and listen to the sayings of wise people.
Apply your heart to the sayings I teach.
18It is pleasing when you keep them in your heart.
Have all of them ready on your lips.
19You are the one I am teaching today.
That’s because I want you to trust in the Lord.
20I have written 30 sayings for you.
They will give you knowledge and good advice.
21I am teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth.
Then you can give honest reports to those you serve.
Saying 2
22Don’t take advantage of poor people just because they are poor.
Don’t treat badly those who are in need by taking them to court.
23The Lord will stand up for them in court.
He will require the lives of people who have taken the lives of those in need.
Saying 3
24Don’t be a friend of a person who has a bad temper.
Don’t go around with a person who gets angry easily.
25You might learn their habits.
And then you will be trapped by them.
Saying 4
26Don’t agree to pay for what someone else owes.
And don’t agree to pay their bills for them.
27If you don’t have the money to pay,
your bed will be taken right out from under you!
Saying 5
28Don’t move old boundary stones
set up by your people of long ago.
Saying 6
29Do you see someone who does good work?
That person will serve kings.
That person won’t serve officials of lower rank.
1Din pa ye sen ahonya bebrebe;
sɛ wobedi wo ni ye sen dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ.
2Ɔdefo ne ohiani wɔ ade baako,
Awurade ne wɔn nyinaa Yɛfo.
3Onitefo hu amanehunu a ɛreba na ohintaw ne ho,
nanso atetekwaa kɔ nʼanim konya amane.
4Ahobrɛase ne Awuradesuro
ɛma ahonya ne anuonyam ne nkwa.
5Nsɔe ne mfiri wɔ amumɔyɛfo akwan so,
nanso nea ɔbɔ ne kra ho ban no mmɛn ho.
6Kyerɛ abofra ɔkwan a ɔmfa so,
na sɛ onyin a ɔremfi so.
7Adefo di ahiafo so,
na boseagyefo yɛ nea ɔde fɛm somfo.
8Nea odua amumɔyɛsɛm no twa ɔhaw
na wɔbɛsɛe nʼabufuwhyew abaa.
9Ɔyamyefo benya nhyira
efisɛ ɔne ahiafo kyɛ nʼaduan.
10Pam ɔfɛwdifo na basabasayɛ nso bɛkɔ;
ntɔkwaw ne animka to atwa.
11Obi a ɔdɔ koma a mu tew na ne kasa ho yɛ nyam no,
benya ɔhene afa no adamfo.
12Awurade ani wɛn nimdeɛ,
na ɔsɛe ɔtorofo nsɛm.
13Ɔkwadwofo ka se, “Gyata bi wɔ mfikyiri hɔ!”
anaasɛ, “Wobekum me wɔ mmɔnten so.”
14Ɔbea waresɛefo anom yɛ amoa donkudonku;
nea ɔhyɛ Awurade abufuw ase no bɛtɔ mu.
15Agyimisɛm kyekyere abofra koma ho,
nanso nteɛso abaa bɛpam no akɔ akyiri.
16Obi besisi ohiani de apɛ ahonya,
anaa ɔbɛkyɛ ɔdefo ade, ne nyinaa de no kɔ ohia mu.
Anyansasɛm
17Yɛ aso na tie anyansasɛm yi;
fa wo koma di me nkyerɛkyerɛ akyi,
18efisɛ eye sɛ wokora saa nsɛm yi wɔ wo koma mu,
na ne nyinaa ada wʼano.
19Sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wode wo ho bɛto Awurade so,
merekyerɛkyerɛ wo nnɛ, yiw ɛyɛ wo.
20Menkyerɛw mmɛ aduasa mmaa wo,
nea ɛyɛ afotusɛm ne nimdeɛ,
21a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ wo nokware ne nea akyinnye nni ho,
sɛnea wubenya mmuae pa ama nea ɔsomaa wo no ana?
22Mmɔ ahiafo korɔn, sɛ wɔyɛ ahiafo nti,
na nsisi wɔn a wonni bi wɔ asennii,
23efisɛ Awurade bedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn,
na wafom afa wɔn a wɔfom ahiafo fa.
24Mfa obi a ne koma yɛ den no adamfo,
na mfa wo ho mmɔ nea ne bo nkyɛ fuw,
25anyɛ saa a, wubesua nʼakwan
na woakɔtɔ afiri mu.
26Nyɛ nea ɔde ne nsa hyɛ krataa ase di akagyinamu
anaasɛ odi akagyinamu;
27na sɛ wunni nea wɔde tua a
wobehuam wo mpa mpo afi wʼase.
28Ntutu tete abo a wɔde ato hye,
nea wo nenanom de sisii hɔ no.
29Wuhu obi a ne nsa akokwaw nʼadwuma ho ana?
Ahemfo anim na ɔbɛsom,
na ɔrensom wɔ mpapahwekwa anim.
