Proverbs 31
1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him:
Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
2 What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.
nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [to say], Where is the strong drink?
Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
5 — lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the children of affliction.
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 unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter of soul:
Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7 let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all those that are left desolate.
Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and minister justice to the afflicted and needy.
Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
10 Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.
Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
11 The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil.
Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
12 She doeth 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 seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
14 She is like the merchants' ships: she bringeth her food from afar;
Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
15 And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens.
Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16 She considereth a field, and acquireth it; of the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms.
Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18 She perceiveth that her earning is good; her lamp goeth not out by night.
Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
19 She putteth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the afflicted, and she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
22 She maketh herself coverlets; her clothing is byssus and purple.
Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
24 She maketh body linen and selleth it, and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laugheth [at] the coming day.
Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and upon her tongue is the law of kindness.
Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27 She surveyeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha so.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her:
Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no sɛ,
29 Many daughters have done worthily, but thou excellest them all.
“Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
30 Gracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman [that] feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
