1In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water
that he channels toward all who please him.
2A person may think their own ways are right,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
3To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
4Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
5The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.21:6 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts vapor for those who seek death
7The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
for they refuse to do what is right.
8The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10The wicked crave evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.
11When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
12The Righteous One21:12 Or The righteous person takes note of the house of the wicked
and brings the wicked to ruin.
13Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
will also cry out and not be answered.
14A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
16Whoever strays from the path of prudence
comes to rest in the company of the dead.
17Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.
18The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.
20The wise store up choice food and olive oil,
but fools gulp theirs down.
21Whoever pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity21:21 Or righteousness and honor.
22One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty
and pull down the stronghold in which they trust.
23Those who guard their mouths and their tongues
keep themselves from calamity.
24The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
25The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,
because his hands refuse to work.
26All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous give without sparing.
27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!
28A false witness will perish,
but a careful listener will testify successfully.
29The wicked put up a bold front,
but the upright give thought to their ways.
30There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the Lord.
31The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the Lord.
1Ɔhene koma da Awurade nsam;
ɔkyerɛ no ɔkwan te sɛ asuten ma ɔkɔ baabiara a ɔpɛ.
2Onipa akwan nyinaa teɛ wɔ nʼani so,
nanso Awurade na ɔkari koma.
3Sɛ woyɛ ade pa ne ade a ɛteɛ a,
ɛsɔ Awurade ani sen afɔrebɔ.
4Ani a ɛtra ntɔn ne ahomaso koma,
ne amumɔyɛfo asetena nyinaa yɛ bɔne!
5Nsiyɛfo nhyehyɛe de mfaso ba,
sɛnea ntɛmpɛ kowie ohia no.
6Ahonya a nkontompo tɛkrɛma de ba no,
ɛyɛ omununkum a etwa mu kɔ, na ɛsan yɛ owu afiri.
7Amumɔyɛfo basabasayɛ bɛtwe wɔn akɔ,
efisɛ wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ.
8Onipa a odi fɔ no akwan yɛ kɔntɔnkye,
na nea ne ho nni asɛm no nneyɛe teɛ.
9Suhyɛ twɔtwɔw ase baabi tena
ye sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo bɛtena fie.
10Omumɔyɛfo kɔn dɔ bɔne;
onni ahummɔbɔ mma ne yɔnko.
11Sɛ wɔtwe ɔfɛwdifo aso a, ntetekwaafo hu nyansa,
sɛ wɔkyerɛkyerɛ onyansafo a, onya nimdeɛ.
12Ɔtreneeni no hu nea ɛrekɔ so wɔ omumɔyɛfo fi,
na ɔde omumɔyɛfo no kɔ ɔsɛe mu.
13Sɛ onipa sisiw nʼaso wɔ mmɔborɔni su ho a,
ɔno nso besu afrɛ, na wɔrennye no so.
14Kokoa mu adekyɛ dwudwo koma,
kɛtɛasehyɛ nso pata abufuwhyew.
15Sɛ wubu atɛntrenee a, atreneefo ani gye,
nanso ɛyɛ ahunahuna ma abɔnefo.
16Onipa a ɔman fi nhumu kwan so no
bɛhome wɔ awufo fekuw mu.
17Nea odi ahosɛpɛw akyi no bɛyɛ ohiani;
nea ɔpɛ nsa ne ngo no rennya ne ho da.
18Amumɔyɛfo de wɔn nkwa to hɔ ma atreneefo,
na atorofo yɛ saa ma wɔn a wɔyɛ pɛ.
19Eye sɛ wobɛtena sare so,
sen sɛ wo ne ɔyere tɔkwapɛfo a ne koma haw no no bɛtena.
20Nnuan pa ne ngo ayɛ onyansafo fi ma,
nanso ɔkwasea di nea ɔwɔ nyinaa.
21Nea otiw trenee ne ɔdɔ no
nya nkwa, yiyedi ne anuonyam.
22Onyansafo tow hyɛ ahoɔdenfo kuropɔn so,
na odwiriw abandennen a wɔn werɛ hyɛ mu no gu fam.
23Nea ɔkora nʼano ne ne tɛkrɛma no
twe ne ho fi amanenya ho.
24Ɔhantanni a ɔma ne ho so no, ne din ne “Ɔfɛwdifo”
ɔde ahantan ntraso yɛ ade.
25Nea ɔkwadwofo kɔn dɔ no bɛyɛ owu ama no,
efisɛ ne nsa mpɛ adwumayɛ.
26Da mu nyinaa ɔpere sɛ obenya bebree,
nanso ɔtreneeni de, ɔma a ɔnnodow ho.
27Omumɔyɛfo afɔrebɔ yɛ akyiwade,
ne titiriw ne sɛ ɔde adwemmɔne bata ho.
28Ɔdansekurumni bɛyera,
na wɔbɛsɛe obiara a otie no no nso.
29Amumɔyɛfo di akakabensɛm,
na ɔtreneeni de, osusuw nʼakwan ho.
30Nyansa, nhumu ne nhyehyɛe biara nni hɔ a
ebetumi ayɛ yiye atia Awurade.
31Wosiesie apɔnkɔ ma ɔko da,
nanso nkonimdi yɛ Awurade dea.
