Proverbs 31
1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy with which his mother instructed him.
Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
2 What [hast thou done], O my son: and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my vows?
Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
3 Give not unto women thy vigor, nor thy ways to those that ruin kings.
nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
4 Not for kings, O Lemoel, not for kings [it is fitting] to drink wine, nor for princes, strong drink:
Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
5 Lest either might drink, and forget what is written in the law, and pervert the cause of all the afflicted.
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 those who have an embittered soul.
Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7 Let such a one drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble 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 fatherless children.
Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and decide the cause of the poor and needy.
Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
10 Who can find a virtuous woman: for far above pearls is her value.
Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he will not see his gain diminish.
Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
12 She treateth him well and not ill, all the days of her life.
Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
13 She seeketh for wool and flax, and worketh with her willing hands.
Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
14 She is become like the merchant's ships: from afar doth she bring her food.
Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
15 And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth provision to her household, and a task to her maidens.
Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16 She thinketh of a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
17 She girdeth with strength her loins, and giveth vigor to her arms.
Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18 She perceiveth that her profit is good: [therefore] her lamp goeth not out by night.
Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
19 She stretcheth out her hands to the spindle, and her palms hold fast the distaff.
Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20 She spreadeth out wide her open palm to the poor: yea, her hands she stretcheth forth to the needy.
Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
21 She hath no fear for her household of the snow: for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
22 Tapestry-covering she maketh for herself: of linen and purple is her attire.
Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
23 Well known is in the gates her husband, when he sitteth with the elders of the land.
Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
24 Fine tunics she maketh, and selleth them, and girdles she furnisheth unto the merchant.
Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing: and she smileth at the coming of the last day.
Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness she doth not eat.
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 virtuously; but thou excellest them all.”
“Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
30 False is grace, and vain is beauty: a woman only that feareth the Lord shall indeed 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.
