Mmɛbusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
The words given to King Lemuel; the prophecy which his mother taught him.
2 Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
What, O my son! and what, O son of my womb! Yea, what, O son of my vows! [[shall I say to thee?]]
3 nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
Give not thy strength to women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth 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, Nor for princes to desire 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 the law, And pervert the rights of any of the afflicted.
6 Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, And wine to him that hath a heavy heart;
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 thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of every orphan!
9 Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And maintain the cause of the poor and needy!
10 Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
Who can find a capable woman? Her worth is far above pearls.
11 Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he is in no want of gain.
12 Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
She doeth 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 seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.
14 Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
She is like the merchants' ships; She bringeth her food from afar.
15 Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
She riseth while it is yet night, And giveth food to her family, And a task to her maidens.
16 Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
She layeth a plan for 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 maketh strong her arms.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
She perceiveth how pleasant is her gain, And her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She putteth forth her hands to the distaff, And her hands take hold of the spindle.
20 Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
She spreadeth 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 fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
She hath no fear for her household on account of the snow, For all her household are clothed with crimson.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is of 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 in the gates, When he sitteth with the elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles to the merchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honor are her clothing; And she laugheth at the days to come.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom, And kind instruction is upon her tongue.
27 Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha 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 sɛ,
Her children rise up, and extol her; Her husband, and praiseth her, [[saving, ]]
29 “Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
“Many daughters have done, virtuously, But thou excellest them all.”
30 Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
Grace is deceitful, and beauty vain; But the woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
Give ye her of the fruit of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.
