1An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
3When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5It is not good to be partial to the wicked
and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.
7The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
9One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.
10The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.
11The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
13To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.
14The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
22He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.
23The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
1Ɔhonankani yɛ pɛsɛmenkomenya;
na ɔmfa atɛntenenee nyɛ hwee.
2Ɔkwasea nni nhunumu ho anigyeɛ
na mmom deɛ ɔpɛ ara ne sɛ ɔde nʼadwene bɛto dwa.
3Sɛ amumuyɛsɛm ba a animtiabuo di so,
na aniwuo nso di animguaseɛ akyi.
4Onipa anom nsɛm yɛ nsuo a emu dɔ,
na nyansa asutire yɛ asuwa a ɛrepu ahuro.
5Ɛnyɛ sɛ wɔdi ma omumuyɛfoɔ
anaasɛ wɔbu deɛ ɔdi bem atɛnkyea.
6Ɔkwasea ano de akasakasa ba
na nʼano frɛfrɛ ɔhweɛ.
7Ɔkwasea ano yɛ ɔno ara sɛeɛ
na nʼanofafa yɛ ne kra afidie.
8Osekuni anom asɛm te sɛ mfremfremadeɛ;
ɛwurawura kɔ onipa akwaa mu nyinaa.
9Deɛ ɔtoto nʼadwuma ase no
nuabarima ne deɛ ɔyɛ ɔsɛefoɔ.
10Awurade din yɛ abantenten a ɛyɛ den;
ahotefoɔ dwane kɔtoa na wɔnya banbɔ.
11Adefoɔ ahonyadeɛ ne wɔn kuropɔn a wɔabɔ ho ban
wɔfa no sɛ ɔfasuo tenten a wɔntumi mforo.
12Ansa na onipa bɛhwe ase no ɔnya ahomasoɔ akoma,
na ahobrɛaseɛ di animuonyam anim.
13Deɛ ɔntie asɛm ansa na wama mmuaeɛ no,
ɛno ne ne gyimie ne nʼanimguaseɛ.
14Onipa sunsum na ɛhyɛ no den wɔ yadeɛ mu
na honhom a apɛkyɛ deɛ, hwan na ɔpɛ?
15Nhunumu akoma nya nimdeɛ;
na anyansafoɔ aso nso hwehwɛ.
16Akyɛdeɛ bue ɛkwan ma deɛ ɔde ma
na ɛde no ba atitire anim.
17Ɛyɛ deɛ ɔbɔ ne nkuro kane no sɛ nʼasɛm yɛ dɛ,
kɔsi sɛ ɔfoforɔ bɛba abɛbisa no nsɛm no mu.
18Ntontobɔ twa akyinnyegyeɛ so,
na ɛpata atamfoɔ.
19Onua a wɔafom noɔ no asɛm yɛ dene sene kuropɔn a ɛwɔ banbɔ,
akyinnyegyeɛ te sɛ abankɛsewa apono a wɔabram akyire.
20Onipa anom asɛm so aba ma ɔyafunu mee,
nnɔbaeɛ a nʼanofafa twa no mee no.
21Tɛkrɛma kura nkwa ne owuo tumi,
na wɔn a wɔdɔ no no bɛdi nʼaba.
22Deɛ wanya yere no anya adepa
na ɔnya adom firi Awurade hɔ.
23Ohiani srɛ ahummɔborɔ,
nanso ɔdefoɔ de kasaden bua no.
24Ɔbarima a ne nnamfonom dɔɔso bɛtumi ahwe ase,
nanso adamfo bi wɔ hɔ a ɔbɛfam ne ho asene onua.
