Warnings Against Foolish Acts
1My son, don’t promise to pay for what your neighbor owes.
Don’t agree to pay a stranger’s bill.
2Don’t be trapped by what you have said.
Don’t be caught by the words of your mouth.
3Instead, my son, do something to free yourself.
Don’t fall into your neighbor’s hands.
Go until you can’t go anymore.
Don’t let your neighbor rest.
4Don’t let your eyes go to sleep.
Don’t let your eyelids close.
5As a deer frees itself from a hunter, free yourself.
As a bird frees itself from a trapper, free yourself.
6You people who don’t want to work, think about the ant!
Consider its ways and be wise!
7It has no commander.
It has no leader or ruler.
8But it stores up its food in summer.
It gathers its food at harvest time.
9You lazy people, how long will you lie there?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10You might sleep a little or take a little nap.
You might even fold your hands and rest.
11Then you would be poor, as if someone had robbed you.
You would have little, as if someone had stolen from you.
12An evil troublemaker
goes around saying twisted things with his mouth.
13He winks with his eyes.
He makes signals with his feet.
He motions with his fingers.
14His plans are evil, and he has lies in his heart.
He is always stirring up fights.
15Trouble will catch up with him in an instant.
He will suddenly be destroyed, and nothing can save him.
16There are six things the Lord hates.
In fact, he hates seven things.
17The Lord hates proud eyes,
a lying tongue,
and hands that kill those who aren’t guilty.
18He also hates hearts that make evil plans
and feet that are quick to do evil.
19He hates any witness who pours out lies
and anyone who stirs up conflict in the community.
A Warning Against Committing Adultery
20My son, keep your father’s command.
Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
21Always tie them on your heart.
Put them around your neck.
22When you walk, they will guide you.
When you sleep, they will watch over you.
When you wake up, they will speak to you.
23Your father’s command is like a lamp.
Your mother’s teaching is like a light.
And whatever instructs and corrects you
leads to life.
24It keeps you from your neighbor’s wife.
It keeps you from the smooth talk of a woman who commits adultery.
25Don’t hunger in your heart after her beauty.
Don’t let her eyes capture you.
26A prostitute can be bought for only a loaf of bread.
But another man’s wife hunts your very life.
27You can’t shovel fire into your lap
without burning your clothes.
28You can’t walk on hot coals
without burning your feet.
29It’s the same for anyone who has sex with another man’s wife.
Anyone who touches her will be punished.
30People don’t hate a thief who steals
to fill his empty stomach.
31But when he is caught, he must pay seven times as much as he stole.
It may even cost him everything he has.
32A man who commits adultery has no sense.
Anyone who does it destroys himself.
33He will be beaten up and dishonored.
His shame will never be wiped away.
34Jealousy stirs up a husband’s anger.
He will show no mercy when he gets even.
35He won’t accept any payment.
He won’t take any money, no matter how much he is offered.
Agyimisɛm Ho Kɔkɔbɔ
1Me ba, sɛ woadi akagyinamu ama ɔyɔnko bi,
sɛ wode wo biribi asi awowa ama obi,
2sɛ nea wokae ayi ka ama wo
na sɛ wʼano asɛm afiri ayi wo a,
3ɛno de yɛ eyi, me ba, na fa tetew wo ho,
sɛ ɔyɔnko nsa aka wo no nti:
fa ahobrɛase kɔ nʼanim;
na kɔ so pa wo yɔnko no kyɛw!
4Mma wʼani nkum
na ntɔ nko.
5Gye wo ho, sɛnea ɔforote guan fi ɔbɔmmɔfo nsam
anaa sɛnea anomaa guan fi ofirisumfo afiri mu no.
6Ɔkwadwofo, kɔ ɔtɛtea nkyɛn;
hwɛ nʼakwan, na hu nyansa!
7Onni ɔsahene,
onni ɔhwɛfo anaa sodifo bi,
8nanso ɔde aduan sie wɔ ahuhurubere mu,
ɔboaboa nnuan ano wɔ twabere.
9Wo, ɔkwadwofo, wobɛda akosi da bɛn?
Wubenyan bere bɛn?
10Nna kakra, nkotɔ kakra,
nsa a woabobɔw de rehome kakra,
11ɛbɛma ohia aba wo so sɛ ɔkwanmukafo
na ahokyere atow akyere wo sɛnea okura otuo.
12Onipa teta ne ohuhuni a
odi atoro kyin,
13nea obu nʼani,
na ɔde ne nan yɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne
na ɔde ne nsateaa kyerɛkyerɛ ade,
14nea ɔde ne koma mu nnaadaa bɔ pɔw bɔne,
na ɔde mpaapaemu ba bere biara.
15Ɛno nti amanehunu bɛba no so prɛko pɛ;
wɔbɛsɛe no mpofirim, a wɔrenya ano aduru.
16Nneɛma asia na Awurade mpɛ,
nneɛma ason na ɛyɛ nʼakyiwade:
17ani a ɛtra ntɔn,
atoro tɛkrɛma,
nsa a ɛka mogya a edi bem gu,
18koma a edwen amumɔyɛ ho,
anan a etutu mmirika kɔyɛ bɔne,
19ɔdansekurumni a odi atoro
ne onipa a ɔde mpaapaemu ba anuanom mu.
Aguamammɔ Ho Kɔkɔbɔ
20Me ba, tie wʼagya ahyɛde
na nnyaa wo na nkyerɛkyerɛ mu.
21Fa kyekyere wo koma ho daa;
na fa kyekyere wɔ kɔn mu.
22Wonantew a, ɛbɛkyerɛ wo kwan;
sɛ woda a, ɛbɛwɛn wo;
sɛ wunyan a, ɛbɛkasa akyerɛ wo.
23Na saa ahyɛde yi yɛ kanea
saa nkyerɛkyerɛ yi yɛ hann,
na ahohyɛso nteɛso yi
yɛ nkwa kwan,
24ɛtwe wo fi ɔbea a onni suban pa no ho,
fi ɔbeawarefo huhuni tɛkrɛmadɛ ho.
25Mma wo kɔn nnɔ nʼahoɔfɛ,
mma nʼani akyideda no ntwetwe wo,
26efisɛ oguamanfo ma wʼanuonyam yɛ sɛ brodosin,
na obi yere gyigye wo kɔ owu mu.
27Obi betumi asɔ gya agu ne srɛ so a
nhyew nʼatade ana?
28Obi betumi anantew nnyansramma so a
mpumpunnya mmobɔ nʼanan ho ana?
29Saa na ɔbarima a ɔne ɔbarima foforo yere da no te;
obiara a ɔde ne nsa bɛka no no, remfa ne ho nni da.
30Nnipa mmu ɔkorɔmfo a wakowia ade animtiaa
sɛ ɔkɔm de no na ɔde rekodwudwo ano nti.
31Mmom, sɛ wɔkyere no a, ɛsɛ sɛ otua mmɔho ason;
sɛ ɛbɛma wahwere ne fi agyapade nyinaa mpo a.
32Ɔbarima a ɔsɛe aware no nni adwene;
obiara a ɔyɛ saa no sɛe ne ho.
33Ɔhwe ne animguase na obenya,
na nʼahohora rempepa da.
34Ninkutwe hwanyan okunu abufuw
na sɛ ɔtɔ were a, ahummɔbɔ biara nni mu.
35Ɔrennye mpata biara;
na ɔbɛpo adanmude, sɛ ɛso sɛ dɛn mpo a.
