Mmebusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
2 Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
3 Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy 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 drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,
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 he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
6 Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
10 Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara, na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
12 Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
14 Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
15 Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
16 Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
20 Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
21 Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho; efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
23 Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
29 “Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
30 Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so; nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
31 Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
