Proverbs 31
1 These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ne maame kyerɛɛ no:
2 You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
Ao me babarima, me yafunu ba, Ao mebɔhyɛ ba,
3 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].
nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmaa ho, wɔn a wɔgu ahemfo asu no.
4 Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
Lemuel, nsã nyɛ mma ahemfo; asanom nyɛ mma ahemfo, ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifoɔ pere nsaden ho;
5 If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
sɛ wɔnom nsã a, wɔn werɛ bɛfiri deɛ mmara no ka, na wɔn a wɔdi wɔn nya no rennya deɛ wɔwɔ ho ɛkwan.
6 Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
Fa nsaden ma wɔn a wɔresɛe, na fa nsã ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7 If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfiri wɔn hia na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhoɔ bio.
8 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.
Kasa ma wɔn a wɔntumi nkasa mma wɔn ho, kasa ma mmɔborɔfoɔ yiedie.
9 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.
Kasa na bu atɛntenenee; kasa ma ahiafoɔ ne onnibie yiedie.
10 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.
Ɔyere pa, hwan na ɔbɛnya? Ɔsom bo pa ara sene nhwene pa.
11 Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotosoɔ pa ara na biribiara a ɛwɔ boɔ nhia no.
12 She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
Ɔde deɛ ɛyɛ brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw, ne nkwa nna nyinaa mu.
13 She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
Ɔhwehwɛ odwannwi ne asaawa na ɔde ne nsa nwono wɔ fɛ so.
14 She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
Ɔte sɛ adwadifoɔ ahyɛn, ɔde ne nnuane firi akyirikyiri ba.
15 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.
Adeɛ nnya nkyeeɛ no na wasɔre; ɔsiesie aduane ma nʼabusuafoɔ na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16 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.
Ɔdwene afuo ho, na ɔtɔ; ɔfiri deɛ ɔnya mu yɛ bobefuo.
17 She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18 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.
Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼadwadie ho wɔ mfasoɔ, na ne kanea ɛnnum anadwo.
19 She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20 She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
Ɔgo ne nsam ma ahiafoɔ na ne nsa so onibie so.
21 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.
Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fiefoɔ ho; ɛfiri sɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ aduradeɛ a wɔde ko awɔ.
22 She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam; na ɔfira nwera ne serekye ntoma.
23 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.
Ne kunu wɔ animuonyam wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano, baabi a ɔne asase no so mpanimfoɔ tena.
24 She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
Ɔpempam nwera ntadeɛ tontɔn, na ɔtu abɔwomu ma adwadifoɔ.
25 She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne animuonyam; na ɔnsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26 When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
Ɔkasa nyansa mu, na nokorɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27 She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
Ɔhwɛ ne fidua mu nnwuma so na ɔnnyegye aniha so.
28 Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira; ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no sɛ,
29 [He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
“Mmaa pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ edin, na wo deɛ, wosene wɔn nyinaa.”
30 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.
Ɔbaa kɔnɔfoɔ yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twam ntɛm so; nanso ɔbaa a ɔsuro Awurade no fata nkamfoɔ.
31 Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
Fa abasobɔdeɛ a wanya no ma no, na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn ɛpono ano.
