1To humans belong the plans of the heart,
but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.
2All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
but motives are weighed by the Lord.
3Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
4The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
5The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
6Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.
7When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
he causes their enemies to make peace with them.
8Better a little with righteousness
than much gain with injustice.
9In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
10The lips of a king speak as an oracle,
and his mouth does not betray justice.
11Honest scales and balances belong to the Lord;
all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through righteousness.
13Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value the one who speaks what is right.
14A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,
but the wise will appease it.
15When a king’s face brightens, it means life;
his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.
16How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!
17The highway of the upright avoids evil;
those who guard their ways preserve their lives.
18Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
19Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
20Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers,16:20 Or whoever speaks prudently finds what is good
and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.
21The wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction.16:21 Or words make a person persuasive
22Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent,
but folly brings punishment to fools.
23The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent,
and their lips promote instruction.16:23 Or prudent / and make their lips persuasive
24Gracious words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
26The appetite of laborers works for them;
their hunger drives them on.
27A scoundrel plots evil,
and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.
28A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.
29A violent person entices their neighbor
and leads them down a path that is not good.
30Whoever winks with their eye is plotting perversity;
whoever purses their lips is bent on evil.
31Gray hair is a crown of splendor;
it is attained in the way of righteousness.
32Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
33The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
1Akoma mu nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ onipa dea,
na tɛkrɛma mmuaeɛ firi Awurade.
2Ɛyɛ onipa sɛ nʼakwan nyinaa yɛ kronn
nanso Awurade na ɔpɛɛpɛɛ adwene mu.
3Fa deɛ woyɛ nyinaa hyɛ Awurade nsam,
na wo nhyehyɛeɛ bɛsi yie.
4Awurade yɛ biribiara ma nʼankasa botaeɛ,
mpo, ɔhwɛ omumuyɛfoɔ kɔsi amanehunu da.
5Awurade kyiri akoma mu ahantanfoɔ nyinaa.
Nya saa nteaseɛ yi sɛ, wɔremfa wɔn ho nni.
6Wɔnam ɔdɔ ne nokorɛ so pata bɔne;
onipa nam Awurade suro so yi bɔne akwa.
7Sɛ onipa akwan sɔ Awurade ani a,
ɔma nʼatamfoɔ mpo ne no tena asomdwoeɛ mu.
8Kakraa bi a wɔnam tenenee kwan so nya no yɛ
sene mfasoɔ pii a wɔnam ntɛnkyea so nya.
9Onipa yɛ ne nhyehyɛeɛ wɔ nʼakoma mu,
nanso Awurade na ɔhwɛ nʼanammɔntuo.
10Ɔhene anomu kasa te sɛ nkɔmhyɛ,
enti ɛnsɛ sɛ nʼano ka deɛ ɛnyɛ atɛntenenee.
11Nsania ne abrammoɔ a nsisie nni mu firi Awurade;
nkariboɔ a ɛwɔ kotokuo mu no, ɔno na ɔyɛeɛ.
12Ahemfo kyiri bɔneyɛ,
ɛfiri sɛ ahennwa si tenenee so.
13Ahemfo ani sɔ ano a ɛka nokorɛ;
na wɔbu onipa a ɔka nokorɛ.
14Ɔhene abufuhyeɛ yɛ owuo somafoɔ,
nanso onyansafoɔ bɛdwodwo ano.
15Sɛ ɔhene anim te a, ɛyɛ nkwa,
nʼadom te sɛ osutɔberɛ mu osumuna.
16Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛnya nyansa sene sɛ wobɛnya sikakɔkɔɔ,
sɛ wobɛnya nhunumu sene sɛ wobɛnya dwetɛ!
17Ɔteneneeni kwantempɔn kwati bɔne;
deɛ ɔhwɛ nʼakwan yie no bɔ ne nkwa ho ban.
18Ahantan di ɔsɛeɛ anim,
na ahomasoɔ honhom nso di ahweaseɛ anim.
19Ɛyɛ sɛ wobɛyɛ honhom mu hiani wɔ wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so mu
sene sɛ wo ne ahantanfoɔ bɛkyɛ afodeɛ.
20Deɛ ɔyɛ ɔsetie ma nkyerɛkyerɛ no nya nkɔsoɔ;
nhyira nka deɛ ɔde ne ho to Awurade so.
21Wɔfrɛ akoma mu anyansafoɔ sɛ nhunumufoɔ,
na kasa pa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
22Nteaseɛ yɛ nkwa nsutire ma wɔn a wɔwɔ bi,
nanso agyimisɛm de asotweɛ brɛ nkwaseafoɔ.
23Onyansafoɔ akoma kyerɛ nʼano kwan,
na nʼanofafa ma nkyerɛkyerɛ kɔ so.
24Abodwosɛm te sɛ ɛwokyɛm
ɛyɛ ɔkra dɛ, na ɛsa nnompe yadeɛ.
25Ɛkwan bi wɔ hɔ a ɛyɛ wɔ onipa ani so,
nanso ɛkɔwie owuo mu.
26Odwumayɛfoɔ akɔnnɔ ma no yɛ adwuma den;
ɛfiri sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkum ne kɔm.
27Ohuhuni bɔ pɔ bɔne,
ne kasa te sɛ egyadɛreɛ a ɛhye adeɛ.
28Onipa kɔntɔnkye de mpaapaemu ba,
na osekuni tete nnamfonom ntam.
29Basabasayɛni daadaa ne yɔnko
na ɔde no fa ɛkwammɔne so.
30Deɛ ɔbu nʼani no redwene bɔneyɛ ho;
na deɛ ɔmua nʼano no ani wɔ bɔne so.
31Ɛdwono yɛ animuonyam abotire;
tenenee mu asetena na ɛde ba.
32Deɛ ɔwɔ abodwokyerɛ no yɛ sene ɔkofoɔ,
na deɛ ɔmfa abufuo yɛ sene deɛ ɔko fa kuropɔn.
33Wɔtwe ntonto de hwehwɛ deɛ Awurade pɛ,
nanso ne gyinasie biara firi Awurade.
