Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
1My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11(She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14“Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
16I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon.”
21With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool stepping into a noose7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
23till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
24Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
25Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
26Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
27Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.
Ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ Ho Kɔkɔbɔ
1Me ba, fa me nsɛm sie
na kora mʼahyɛdeɛ wɔ wo mu.
2Di mʼahyɛdeɛ so na wobɛnya nkwa;
bɔ me nkyerɛkyerɛ ho ban sɛ deɛ wodɔ noɔ.
3Kyekyere bɔ wo nsateaa ho;
twerɛ no yie gu wʼakoma ɛpono so.
4Ka kyerɛ nyansa sɛ, “Wo yɛ me nuabaa,”
na frɛ nteaseɛ wo busuani;
5Wɔbɛtwe wo afiri ɔbaawaresɛefoɔ ho,
afiri ɔbaawarefoɔ sansani nsɛmmɔdɛ ho.
6Me fie mpomma ano
mede mʼani faa ntokua mu.
7Mehunuu wɔ ntetekwaafoɔ mu,
mehyɛɛ mmeranteɛ no mu baako nso,
ɔbabunu a ɔnni adwene.
8Na ɔnam borɔno a ɛbɛn ɔbaa no fie so
a nʼani kyerɛ ɔbaa no fie
9ɛberɛ a ɔnwunu redwoɔ,
na animu rebiribiri no.
10Afei ɔbaa bi firi bɛhyiaa no a
wasiesie ne ho sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nnaadaa wɔ nʼakomam.
11(Ɔyɛ hyirenn na hwee mfa ne ho,
ɔntena efie koraa;
12ɛnnɛ wɔhunu no mmɔntene so, ɔkyena na ɔte adwaberem,
ɔtetɛ wɔ mmantwea mmantwea.)
13Ɔsɔɔ ne mu fee nʼano
wamfɛre, na ɔkaa sɛ,
14“Mewɔ ayɔnkofa ayɛyɛdeɛ wɔ efie;
ɛnnɛ madi me bɔhyɛ so.
15Enti mebaeɛ sɛ merebɛhyia wo;
mehwehwɛɛ wo na mahunu wo!
16Mato me mpa
mede nwera a wɔahyɛ no aduro a ɛfiri Misraim.
17Mede nnuhwam apete me mpa so:
kurobo, pɛperɛ ne sinamon.
18Bra, ma yɛmfa ɔdɔ mmɔ ɔdɔ mu nkɔsi anɔpa;
19Me kunu nni efie;
watu kwan na ɔbɛkyɛre.
20Ɔde sika a ɛdɔɔso hyɛɛ ne sikabɔtɔ ma
na ɔremma kɔsi ɔsrane no korokumatwa berɛ mu.”
21Ɔde akorɔkorɔ bɔɔ no asɔn;
ɔde nnaadaa nyaa no ne no daeɛ.
22Ɔdii nʼakyi prɛko pɛ
te sɛ nantwie a ɔrekɔ akumiiɛ,
anaa ɔwansane a ɔde ne tiri rekɔhyɛ hankrafidie mu
23kɔsi sɛ bɛmma bɛhwire ne brɛboɔ mu,
te sɛ anomaa a ɔrekɔtɔ anomaa afidie mu
na ɔnnim sɛ ɔbɛhwere ne nkwa.
24Na afei, me mma, montie me;
monyɛ aso mma deɛ meka.
25Mommma mo akoma mpatere nkɔ ne so
na mommane mfa nʼakwan so.
26Bebree na wɔnam ne so ahwehwe ase;
wɔn a wakum wɔn dɔɔso pa ara.
27Ne fie yɛ ɛda kwantempɔn a
ɛkɔ owuo mpia mu.
