Mmɛbusɛm 31
1 Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
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 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 judgment 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 that is ready to perish, and wine to those that are of heavy hearts.
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 all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for 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 doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
She will do 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 merchant 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 also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
She considereth 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 strengtheneth her arms.
18 Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her lamp goeth not out by night.
19 Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
She stretcheth 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 is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk 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 among the elders of the land.
24 Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth waistbands to the merchant.
25 Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
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 call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
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.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a 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 her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
