Proverbs 31
1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.
Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
2 What am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths?
Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
3 Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.
nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink?
Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
5 For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.
sɛ wɔnom nsã a, wɔn werɛ bɛfiri deɛ mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no rennya deɛ wɔwɔ ho ɛkwan.
6 Give strong drink to him who is near to destruction, and wine to him whose soul is bitter:
Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7 Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.
Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
8 Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death.
Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
9 Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.
Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
10 Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.
Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
11 The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure.
Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
13 She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.
Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
14 She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away.
Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
15 She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls.
Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16 After looking at a field with care, she gets it for a price, planting a vine-garden with the profit of her work.
Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
17 She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong.
Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18 She sees that her marketing is of profit to her: her light does not go out by night.
Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
19 She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel.
Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20 Her hands are stretched out to the poor; yes, she is open-handed to those who are in need.
Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
21 She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red.
Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
22 She makes for herself cushions of needlework; her clothing is fair linen and purple.
Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
23 Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land.
Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
24 She makes linen robes and gets a price for them, and traders take her cloth bands for a price.
Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
25 Strength and self-respect are her clothing; she is facing the future with a smile.
Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26 Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue.
Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27 She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it.
Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha so.
28 Her children get up and give her honour, and her husband gives her praise, saying,
Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no sɛ,
29 Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them.
“Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
30 Fair looks are a deceit, and a beautiful form is of no value; but a woman who has the fear of the Lord is to be praised.
Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
31 Give her credit for what her hands have made: let her be praised by her works in the public place.
Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
