Mmebusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy with which his mother instructed him.
2 Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba, Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
What [hast thou done], O my son: and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my vows?
3 Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea ho, wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
Give not unto women thy vigor, nor thy ways to those that ruin kings.
4 Enye mma ahemfo, Lemuel, asanom nye mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifo pere bobesa ho;
Not for kings, O Lemoel, not for kings [it is fitting] 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 either might drink, and forget what is written in the law, and pervert the cause of all 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 who have an embittered soul.
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia, na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
Let such a one drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble no more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all fatherless children.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntrenee; kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and decide 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 far above pearls is her value.
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, and he will not see his gain diminish.
12 Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
She treateth him well and not ill, all the days of her life.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
She seeketh for wool and flax, and worketh with her willing hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
She is become like the merchant's ships: from afar doth she bring her food.
15 Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre; osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth provision to her household, and a task to her maidens.
16 Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ; ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
She thinketh of 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 with strength her loins, and giveth vigor to her arms.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso, na ne kanea anum anadwo.
She perceiveth that her profit is good: [therefore] her lamp goeth not out by night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She stretcheth out her hands to the spindle, and her palms hold fast the distaff.
20 Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo na ne nsa so ohiani so.
She spreadeth out wide her open palm to the poor: yea, her hands she stretcheth forth 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 hath no fear for her household of the snow: for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
Tapestry-covering she maketh for herself: of linen and purple is her attire.
23 Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano, faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
Well known is in the gates her husband, when he sitteth with the elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn, na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
Fine tunics she maketh, and selleth them, and girdles she furnisheth unto the merchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam; na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and dignity are her clothing: and she smileth at the coming of the last day.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so na onnyigye anihaw so.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness she doth not eat.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
Her children rise 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.
False is grace, and vain is beauty: a woman only that feareth the Lord shall indeed 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.
