Mmɛbusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
Words of Lemuel, a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
2 Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
“What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
3 nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
Do not give your strength to women, And your ways to wiping away of kings.
4 Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes—a desire of 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 he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
6 Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
7 Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
He drinks, and forgets his poverty, And he does not remember his misery again.
8 Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
Open your mouth for the mute, For the right of all sons of change.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!”
10 Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
[ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
The heart of her husband has trusted in her, And he does not lack spoil.
12 Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
She has done him good, and not evil, All [the] days of her life.
13 Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
She has sought wool and flax, And with delight she works [with] her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
She has been as ships of the merchant, She brings in her bread from afar.
15 Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
Indeed, she rises while yet night, And gives food to her household, And a portion to her girls.
16 Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
She has considered a field, and takes it, She has planted a vineyard from the fruit of her hands.
17 Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
She has girded her loins with might, And strengthens her arms.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
She has perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She has sent forth her hands on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
20 Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
She has spread forth her hand to the poor, Indeed, she sent forth 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.
She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
She has made ornamental coverings for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23 Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
Her husband is known in the gates, In his sitting with [the] elderly of [the] land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
She has made linen garments, and sells, And she has given a girdle to the merchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honor [are] her clothing, And she rejoices at a latter day.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She has opened her mouth in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha so.
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And she does not eat bread of sloth.
28 Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no sɛ,
Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her blessed, Her husband, and he praises her,
29 “Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
“The daughters who have done worthily [are] many, You have gone up above them all.”
30 Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
Favor [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing YHWH, she may boast herself.
31 Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
Give to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works praise her in the gates!
