Mmebusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.
2 Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
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?
3 Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.
4 Enye mma ahemfo, Lemuel, asanom nye mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifo pere bobesa ho;
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink?
5 sɛ wɔnom nsa a wɔn werɛ befi nea mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no rennya nea ɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.
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.
6 Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink to him who is near to destruction, and wine to him whose soul is bitter:
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.
10 Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara, na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure.
12 Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away.
15 Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls.
16 Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
After looking at a field with care, she gets it for a price, planting a vine-garden with the profit of her work.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
She sees that her marketing is of profit to her: her light does not go out by night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel.
20 Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
Her hands are stretched out to the poor; yes, she is open-handed to those who are in need.
21 Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho; efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
She makes for herself cushions of needlework; her clothing is fair linen and purple.
23 Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
She makes linen robes and gets a price for them, and traders take her cloth bands for a price.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and self-respect are her clothing; she is facing the future with a smile.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
Her children get up and give her honour, and her husband gives her praise, saying,
29 “Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them.
30 Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so; nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
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.
31 Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
Give her credit for what her hands have made: let her be praised by her works in the public place.
