Mmɛbusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.
2 Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
What will you keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to you: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?
3 nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
Give not your wealth to women, nor your mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.
4 Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:
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 wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.
6 Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã 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 mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
Open your mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
Open your mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.
10 Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.
12 Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
For she employs all her living for her husband's good.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.
15 Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and [appointed] tasks to her maidens.
16 Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
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 nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum 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 Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie 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 fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
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 ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
She makes for her husband clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.
23 Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ 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 ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
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 animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
She puts on strength and honor; and rejoices in the last days.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha 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 sɛ,
And [her] kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.
29 “Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but you have exceeded, you have surpassed all.
30 Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
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 abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.
