Saying 20
1Do not want what evil people have.
Don’t long to be with them.
2In their hearts they plan to hurt others.
With their lips they talk about making trouble.
Saying 21
3By wisdom a house is built.
Through understanding it is made secure.
4Through knowledge its rooms are filled
with priceless and beautiful things.
Saying 22
5Wise people have success by means of great power.
Those who have knowledge gather strength.
6If you go to war, you surely need guidance.
If you want to win, you need many good advisers.
Saying 23
7Wisdom is too high for foolish people.
They shouldn’t speak when people meet at the city gate to conduct business.
Saying 24
8Anyone who thinks up sinful things to do
will be known as one who plans evil.
9Foolish plans are sinful.
People hate those who make fun of others.
Saying 25
10If you grow weak when trouble comes,
your strength is very small!
11Save those who are being led away to death.
Hold back those who are about to be killed.
12Don’t say, “But we didn’t know anything about this.”
Doesn’t the God who knows what you are thinking see it?
Doesn’t the God who guards your life know it?
He will pay back everyone for what they have done.
Saying 26
13Eat honey, my son, because it is good.
Honey from a honeycomb has a sweet taste.
14I want you to know that wisdom is like honey for you.
If you find it, there is hope for you tomorrow.
So your hope will not be cut off.
Saying 27
15Don’t hide and wait like a burglar near a godly person’s house.
Don’t rob their home.
16Even if godly people fall down seven times, they always get up.
But those who are evil trip and fall when trouble comes.
Saying 28
17Don’t be happy when your enemy falls.
When he trips, don’t let your heart be glad.
18The Lord will see it, but he won’t be pleased.
He might turn his anger away from your enemy.
Saying 29
19Don’t be upset because of evil people.
Don’t long for what sinners have.
20Tomorrow evil people won’t have any hope.
The lamps of sinners will be blown out.
Saying 30
21My son, have respect for the Lord and the king.
Don’t join with officials who disobey them.
22The Lord and the king will suddenly destroy them.
Who knows what trouble those two can bring?
More Sayings of Wise People
23Here are more sayings of wise people.
Taking sides in court is not good.
24A curse will fall on those who say the guilty are not guilty.
Nations will ask for bad things to happen to them.
People will speak against them.
25But it will go well with those who sentence guilty people.
Rich blessings will come to them.
26An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
27Put your outdoor work in order.
Get your fields ready.
After that, build your house.
28Don’t be a witness against your neighbor for no reason.
Would you use your lips to tell lies?
29Don’t say, “I’ll do to them what they have done to me.
I’ll get even with them for what they did.”
30I went past the field of someone who didn’t want to work.
I went past the vineyard of someone who didn’t have any sense.
31Thorns had grown up everywhere.
The ground was covered with weeds.
The stone wall had fallen down.
32I applied my heart to what I observed.
I learned a lesson from what I saw.
33You might sleep a little or take a little nap.
You might even fold your hands and rest.
34Then you would be poor, as if someone had robbed you.
You would have little, as if someone had stolen from you.
1Mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo,
mfa wo ho mmɔ wɔn;
2Efisɛ wɔn koma dwene atirimɔdensɛm ho,
na wɔn ano ka nea ɛde basabasayɛ ba ho asɛm.
3Wɔde nyansa na esi fi,
na nhumu mu na wɔma etim;
4ɛnam nimdeɛ so na wonya ademude a ɛho yɛ na
na ɛyɛ fɛ hyehyɛ nʼadan mu.
5Onyansafo wɔ tumi a ɛso,
na onimdefo nyin ahoɔden mu;
6nea ɔretu sa hia akwankyerɛ,
nea ɔrehwehwɛ nkonimdi no hia afotufo pii.
7Nyansa wɔ soro dodo ma ɔkwasea;
wɔ apon ano aguabɔ mu no, ɛnsɛ sɛ wobue wɔn ano.
8Onipa a ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne no,
wɔbɛfrɛ no ɔkɔtwebrɛfo.
9Ogyimifo nhyehyɛe yɛ bɔne,
nnipa kyi ɔfɛwdifo.
10Sɛ wʼaba mu gow wɔ ɔhaw mu a,
na wʼahoɔden sua!
11Gye wɔn a wɔde wɔn rekɔ akokum wɔn no nkwa;
na sianka wɔn a wɔtɔ ntintan kɔ akumii.
12Sɛ woka se, “Na yennim eyi ho hwee a,”
nea ɔkari koma hwɛ no nhu ana?
Nea ɔbɔ wo nkwa ho ban no nnim ana?
Ɔrentua nea obiara ayɛ so ka ana?
13Me ba, di ɛwo, efisɛ eye;
ɛwokyɛm mu wo yɛ wʼanom dɛ.
14Hu nso sɛ nyansa yɛ wo kra dɛ;
sɛ wunya a, wowɔ anidaso ma daakye,
na wʼanidaso renyɛ ɔkwa.
15Nkɔtɛw ɔtreneeni fi sɛ ɔkwanmukafo,
na nkɔtow nhyɛ nʼatenae so,
16Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔtreneeni hwe ase mpɛn ason de, nanso ɔsɔre bio,
na amumɔyɛfo de amanehunu baako ma wɔhwe ase.
17Sɛ wo tamfo hwe ase a mma ɛnyɛ wo dɛ;
na sɛ ohintiw a mma wo koma nni ahurusi,
18efisɛ Awurade behu wʼadwene na ɔrempɛ
na obeyi nʼabufuwhyew afi no so.
19Nhaw wo ho wɔ abɔnefo nti,
na mma wʼani mmere amumɔyɛfo nso,
20efisɛ, ɔbɔnefo nni anidaso biara daakye,
na wobedum amumɔyɛfo kanea.
21Me ba, suro Awurade ne ɔhene,
na mfa wo ho mmɔ atuatewfo ho,
22efisɛ saa baanu yi de, ɔsɛe bɛba wɔn so mpofirim;
na hena na onim amanehunu ko a wobetumi de aba?
Anyansafo Nsɛnka A Ɛkeka Ho
23Eyinom nso yɛ anyansafo Nsɛnka:
Atemmu a nhwɛanim wɔ mu no nye:
24Obiara a ɔbɛka akyerɛ nea odi fɔ se, “Wo ho nni asɛm” no,
nnipa bɛdome no na amanaman remmɔ no din pa.
25Na wɔn a wobu afɔdifo fɔ no, ebesi wɔn yiye,
na nhyira bɛba wɔn so.
26Mmuae pa
te sɛ mfewano.
27Wie wo mfikyidwuma
na siesie wo mfuw;
ɛno akyi, si wo fi.
28Nni adanse ntia ɔyɔnko a ɔnyɛɛ wo hwee,
na mfa wʼano nnaadaa.
29Nka se, “Nea wayɛ me no me nso mɛyɛ no bi;
nea ɔyɛe no mitua no so ka.”
30Menantew faa onihawfo afuw ho,
twaa mu wɔ nea onni adwene bobeturo nso ho;
31nsɔe afuw wɔ baabiara,
wura afuw akata asase no so,
na abo afasu no nso abubu.
32Mede me koma kɔɔ nea mihuu no so
na misuaa biribi fii mu:
33nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra,
nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra
34bɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo,
na nneɛma ho nna bɛba wo so sɛ obi a okura akode. Na ohia bɛtow akyere wo sɛ ɔkwanmukafo; ahokyere bɛtoa wo sɛ ɔkorɔmfowerɛmfo.
