Mmebusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.
2 Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?
3 Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.
4 Enye mma ahemfo, Lemuel, asanom nye mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifo pere bobesa ho;
Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:
5 sɛ wɔnom nsa a wɔn werɛ befi nea mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no rennya nea ɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.
lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.
6 Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.
10 Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara, na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.
12 Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
For she employs all her living for her husband's good.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.
15 Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and [appointed] tasks to her maidens.
16 Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
She views a farm, and buys it: and with the fruit of her hands she plants and a possession.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She strongly girds her loins, and strengthens her arms for work.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
And she finds by experience that working is good; and her candle goes not out all night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She reaches forth her arms to needful [works], and applies her hands to the spindle.
20 Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
And she opens her hands to the needy, and reaches out fruit to the poor.
21 Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho; efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad: for all her household are clothed.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
She makes for her husband clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.
23 Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
And her husband becomes a distinguished [person] in the gates, when he sits in council with the old inhabitants of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
She makes fine linens, and sells girdles to the Chananites: she opens her mouth heedfully and with propriety, and controls her tongue.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
She puts on strength and honour; and rejoices in the last days.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
And [her] kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.
29 “Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but thou hast exceeded, thou hast surpassed all.
30 Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so; nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
Charms are false, and woman's beauty is vain: for it is a wise woman that is blessed, and let her praise the fear the Lord.
31 Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.
