Proverbs 31
1 Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
2 'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
3 Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
Enye mma ahemfo, Lemuel, asanom nye mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifo pere bobesa ho;
5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
sɛ wɔnom nsa a wɔn werɛ befi nea mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no rennya nea ɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.
6 Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7 He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'
Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
10 A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
11 The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara, na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
12 She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
13 She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
14 She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
15 Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16 She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
17 She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18 She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
19 Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20 Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
21 She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho; efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
22 Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
23 Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
24 Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
25 Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26 Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27 She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
28 Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
29 'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'
“Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
30 The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so; nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
31 Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
