Mmebusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3 Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth 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 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.
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara, na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
She will do 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 seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15 Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
She perceiveth that her merchandise [is] good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho; efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household [are] clothed with scarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] silk and purple.
23 Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it; ] and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her.
29 “Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so; nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
