Mmɛbusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
5 sɛ wɔnom nsã a, wɔn werɛ bɛfiri deɛ mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no rennya deɛ wɔwɔ ho ɛkwan.
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha so.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no sɛ,
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 “Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
