Sayings of King Lemuel
1The sayings of King Lemuel – an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3Do not spend your strength31:3 Or wealth on women,
your vigour on those who ruin kings.
4It is not for kings, Lemuel –
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Epilogue: the wife of noble character
1031:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29‘Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.’
30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31Honour her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Ɔhene Lemuel Nsɛm
1Ɔhene Lemuel nsɛm a ɛyɛ nkuranhyɛ a ne na kyerɛɛ no:
2Tie, me babarima! Tie, me yafunu ba,
Tie, me bɔhyɛ ba, me mpaebɔ ho mmuae!
3Nsɛe wʼahoɔden wɔ mmea31.3 Saa mmea yi yɛ mmea nguamanfo a wɔwɔ ahemfi a wobetumi atwe ɔhene adwene afi nʼadwuma so. ho,
wɔn a wogu ahemfo asu no.
4Enye mma ahemfo, Lemuel,
asanom nye mma ahemfo,
ɛnsɛ sɛ sodifo pere bobesa ho;
5sɛ wɔnom nsa a wɔn werɛ befi nea mmara no ka,
na wɔn a wɔhyɛ wɔn so no rennya nea ɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.
6Fa bobesa ma wɔn a wɔresɛe,
na fa nsa ma wɔn a wɔwɔ amanehunu mu;
7Momma wɔnnom, na wɔn werɛ mfi wɔn hia,
na wɔnnkae wɔn awerɛhow bio.
8Kasa ma wɔn a wontumi nkasa mma wɔn ho,
kasa ma mmɔborɔfo yiyedi.
9Kasa na bu atɛntrenee;
kasa ma ahiafo ne onnibi yiyedi.
Awiei: Ɔyere A Ɔsom Bo
10Ɔyere pa, hena na obenya?
Ɔsom bo pa ara sen nhene pa.
11Ne kunu wɔ ne mu ahotoso pa ara,
na biribiara a ɛwɔ bo nhia no.
12Ɔde nea eye brɛ no, na ɛnyɛ ɔhaw,
ne nkwanna nyinaa mu.
13Ɔhwehwɛ oguannwi ne asaawa
na ɔde ne nsa nwen wɔ fɛw so.
14Ɔte sɛ aguadifo ahyɛn,
ɔde ne nnuan fi akyirikyiri ba.
15Ade nnya nkyee no na wasɔre;
osiesie aduan ma nʼabusuafo
na ɔkyekyɛ nnwuma ma ne mmaawa.
16Osusuw afuw ho na ɔtɔ;
ofi nea onya mu yɛ bobeturo.
17Ɔde nsi yɛ nʼadwuma;
nʼabasa mu wɔ ahoɔden ma nʼadwuma.
18Ɔhwɛ sɛ nʼaguadi so wɔ mfaso,
na ne kanea anum anadwo.
19Daa, na ne nsa kura tadua mu
a ne nsateaa nso retoatoa asaawa.
20Ogow ne nsam ma ahiafo
na ne nsa so ohiani so.
21Sɛ sukyerɛmma tɔ a ne yam nhyehye no wɔ ne fifo ho;
efisɛ wɔn nyinaa wɔ adurade a wɔde ko awɔw.
22Ɔyɛ ne mpasotam;
na ofura nwera ne sirikyi ntama.
23Ne kunu wɔ anuonyam wɔ kuropɔn pon ano,
faako a ɔne asase no so mpanyimfo tena.
24Ɔpempam nwera ntade tontɔn,
na otu nkyekyeremu ma aguadifo.
25Ɔwɔ ahoɔden ne anuonyam;
na onsuro nna a ɛwɔ nʼanim.
26Ɔkasa nyansa mu,
na nokware nkyerɛkyerɛ wɔ ne tɛkrɛma so.
27Ɔhwɛ ne fi mu nnwuma so
na onnyigye anihaw so.
28Ne mma sɔre a wɔfrɛ no nhyira;
ne kunu nso saa ara, na ɔkamfo no se,
29“Mmea pii yɛ nneɛma a ɛwɔ din
na wo de, wosen wɔn nyinaa.”
30Ɔbea kɔnnɔfo yɛ nnaadaa, na ahoɔfɛ twa mu ntɛm so;
nanso ɔbea a osuro Awurade no fata nkamfo.
31Fa abasobɔde a wanya no ma no,
na wɔnkamfo ne nnwuma wɔ kuropɔn pon ano.
