Proverbs 31
1 Àwọn ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ ti Lemueli ọba, ọ̀rọ̀ ẹ̀kọ́ tí ìyá rẹ̀ kọ́ ọ,
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 “Gbọ́ ìwọ ọmọ mi, gbọ́ ìwọ ọmọ inú mi! Gbọ́ ìwọ ọmọ ẹ̀jẹ́ mi.
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 Má ṣe lo agbára rẹ lórí obìnrin, okun rẹ lórí àwọn tí ó pa àwọn ọba run.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
4 “Kì í ṣe fún àwọn ọba, ìwọ Lemueli, kì í ṣe fún ọba láti mu ọtí wáìnì, kì í ṣe fún alákòóso láti máa wá ọtí líle,
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 kí wọn má ba à mu ọtí yó kí wọn sì gbàgbé ohun tí òfin wí, kí wọn sì fi ẹ̀tọ́ àwọn tí ara ń ni dù wọ́n.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 Fi ọtí líle fún àwọn tí ń ṣègbé wáìnì fún àwọn tí ó wà nínú ìrora.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Jẹ́ kí wọn mu ọtí kí wọn sì gbàgbé òsì wọn kí wọn má sì rántí òsì wọn mọ́.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 “Sọ̀rọ̀ lórúkọ àwọn tí kò le sọ̀rọ̀ fúnra wọn fún ẹ̀tọ́ àwọn ẹni tí ń parun.
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 Sọ̀rọ̀ kí o sì ṣe ìdájọ́ àìṣègbè jà fún ẹ̀tọ́ àwọn tálákà àti aláìní.”
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Ta ni ó le rí aya oníwà rere? Ó níye lórí ju iyùn lọ.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 Ọkọ rẹ̀ ní ìgbẹ́kẹ̀lé púpọ̀ nínú rẹ̀ kò sì ṣí ìwà rere tí kò pé lọ́wọ́ rẹ̀.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 Ire ní ó ń ṣe fún un, kì í ṣe ibi ní gbogbo ọjọ́ ayé rẹ̀.
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 Ó sa aṣọ irun àgùntàn olówùú àti ọ̀gbọ̀ Ó sì ṣiṣẹ́ pẹ̀lú ìyárí.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 Ó dàbí ọkọ̀ ojú omi tí àwọn oníṣòwò; ó ń gbé oúnjẹ rẹ̀ wá láti ọ̀nà jíjìn.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
15 Ó dìde nígbà tí òkùnkùn sì kùn; ó ṣe oúnjẹ fún ìdílé rẹ̀ àti ìpín oúnjẹ fún àwọn ìránṣẹ́bìnrin rẹ̀.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
16 Ó kíyèsi oko kan, ó sì rà á; nínú ohun tí ó ń wọlé fún un ó gbin ọgbà àjàrà rẹ̀.
She [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 Ó bẹ̀rẹ̀ iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ tagbára tagbára apá rẹ̀ le koko fún iṣẹ́.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 Ó rí i pé òwò òun pé fìtílà rẹ̀ kì í sì í kú ní òru.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 Ní ọwọ́ rẹ̀, ó di kẹ̀kẹ́ òwú mú ó sì na ọwọ́ rẹ̀ di ìrànwú mú.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 O la ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sí àwọn tálákà ó sì na ọwọ́ rẹ̀ sí àwọn aláìní.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 Nígbà tí òjò-dídì rọ̀, kò bẹ̀rù nítorí ìdílé rẹ̀ nítorí gbogbo wọn ni ó wọ aṣọ tí ó nípọn.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
22 Ó ṣe aṣọ títẹ́ fún ibùsùn rẹ̀; ẹ̀wù dáradára àti elése àlùkò ni aṣọ rẹ̀.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 A bọ̀wọ̀ fún ọkọ rẹ̀ ní ẹnu ibodè ìlú níbi tí ó ń jókòó láàrín àwọn àgbàgbà ìlú.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
24 Ó ń ṣe àwọn aṣọ dáradára ó sì ń tà wọ́n ó sì ń kó ọjà fún àwọn oníṣòwò.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Agbára àti ọlá ni ó wò ọ́ láṣọ ó le fi ọjọ́ iwájú rẹ́rìn-ín.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 A sọ̀rọ̀ pẹ̀lú ọgbọ́n ìkọ́ni òtítọ́ sì ń bẹ létè e rẹ̀
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 Ó ń bojútó gbogbo ètò ilé rẹ̀ kì í sì í jẹ oúnjẹ ìmẹ́lẹ́.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ dìde wọ́n sì pè é ní alábùkún ọkọ rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ń gbóríyìn fún un.
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 “Ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ obìnrin ní ń ṣe nǹkan ọlọ́lá ṣùgbọ́n ìwọ ju gbogbo wọn lọ.”
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Ojú dáradára a máa tan ni, ẹwà sì jẹ́ asán nítorí obìnrin tí ó bẹ̀rù Olúwa yẹ kí ó gba oríyìn.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
31 Sì fún un ní èrè tí ó tọ́ sí i kí o sì jẹ́ kí iṣẹ́ rẹ̀ fún un ní ìyìn ní ẹnu ibodè ìlú.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
