أَمْثَالٌ 31

١ 1 كَلَامُ لَمُوئِيلَ مَلِكِ مَسَّا، عَلَّمَتْهُ إِيَّاهُ أُمُّهُ:

The words of Lemuel the king, —the strain which was taught him by his mother: —

٢ 2 مَاذَا يَا ٱبْنِي؟ ثُمَّ مَاذَا يَا ٱبْنَ رَحِمِي؟ ثُمَّ مَاذَا يَا ٱبْنَ نُذُورِي؟

What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? aye what, the son of my vows?

٣ 3 لَا تُعْطِ حَيْلَكَ لِلنِّسَاءِ، وَلَا طُرُقَكَ لِمُهْلِكَاتِ ٱلْمُلُوكِ.

Do not give, to women, thy strength, nor thy ways, to them who ruin kings.

٤ 4 لَيْسَ لِلْمُلُوكِ يَا لَمُوئِيلُ، لَيْسَ لِلْمُلُوكِ أَنْ يَشْرَبُوا خَمْرًا، وَلَا لِلْعُظَمَاءِ ٱلْمُسْكِرُ.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor, for dignitaries, to desire strong drink,

٥ 5 لِئَلَّا يَشْرَبُوا وَيَنْسَوْا ٱلْمَفْرُوضَ، وَيُغَيِّرُوا حُجَّةَ كُلِّ بَنِي ٱلْمَذَلَّةِ.

Lest he drink, and forget that which is decreed, and alter the plea of any who are sorely oppressed.

٦ 6 أَعْطُوا مُسْكِرًا لِهَالِكٍ، وَخَمْرًا لِمُرِّي ٱلنَّفْسِ.

Give strong drink, to him that is perishing, and wine, to such as are embittered in soul:

٧ 7 يَشْرَبُ وَيَنْسَى فَقْرَهُ، وَلَا يَذْكُرُ تَعَبَهُ بَعْدُ.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and, his wearying toil, let him remember no more.

٨ 8 اِفْتَحْ فَمَكَ لِأَجْلِ ٱلْأَخْرَسِ فِي دَعْوَى كُلِّ يَتِيمٍ.

Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all the children of the departed.

٩ 9 اِفْتَحْ فَمَكَ. ٱقْضِ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَحَامِ عَنِ ٱلْفَقِيرِ وَٱلْمِسْكِينِ.

Open thy mouth—judge righteously, —and administer justice for the poor and the needy.

١٠ 10 اِمْرَأَةٌ فَاضِلَةٌ مَنْ يَجِدُهَا؟ لِأَنَّ ثَمَنَهَا يَفُوقُ ٱللَّآلِئَ.

A virtuous woman, who can find? for, far beyond corals, is her worth.

١١ 11 بِهَا يَثِقُ قَلْبُ زَوْجِهَا فَلَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى غَنِيمَةٍ.

The heart of her husband, trusteth her, and, gain, he shall not lack:

١٢ 12 تَصْنَعُ لَهُ خَيْرًا لَا شَرًّا كُلَّ أَيَّامِ حَيَاتِهَا.

She doeth him good and not evil, all the days of her life:

١٣ 13 تَطْلُبُ صُوفًا وَكَتَّانًا وَتَشْتَغِلُ بِيَدَيْنِ رَاضِيَتَيْنِ.

She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands:

١٤ 14 هِيَ كَسُفُنِ ٱلتَّاجِرِ. تَجْلِبُ طَعَامَهَا مِنْ بَعِيدٍ.

She is like the ships of the merchant, from afar, she bringeth in her food;

١٥ 15 وَتَقُومُ إِذِ ٱللَّيْلُ بَعْدُ وَتُعْطِي أَكْلًا لِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا وَفَرِيضَةً لِفَتَيَاتِهَا.

And she riseth, while yet it is night, and giveth food to her household, and a task to her maidens:

١٦ 16 تَتَأَمَّلُ حَقْلًا فَتَأْخُذُهُ، وَبِثَمَرِ يَدَيْهَا تَغْرِسُ كَرْمًا.

She considereth a field, and procureth it, Out of the fruit of her hands, she planteth a vineyard:

١٧ 17 تُنَطِّقُ حَقَوَيْهَا بِٱلْقُوَّةِ وَتُشَدِّدُ ذِرَاعَيْهَا.

She girdeth, with strength her loins, and putteth vigour into her arms:

١٨ 18 تَشْعُرُ أَنَّ تِجَارَتَهَا جَيِّدَةٌ. سِرَاجُهَا لَا يَنْطَفِئُ فِي ٱللَّيْلِ.

She tasteth, whether, good, be her merchandise, and her lamp, goeth not out by night:

١٩ 19 تَمُدُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى ٱلْمِغْزَلِ، وَتُمْسِكُ كَفَّاهَا بِٱلْفَلْكَةِ.

Her hands, she putteth forth to the distaff, and, her palms, lay hold of the spindle:

٢٠ 20 تَبْسُطُ كَفَّيْهَا لِلْفَقِيرِ، وَتَمُدُّ يَدَيْهَا إِلَى ٱلْمِسْكِينِ.

Her palm, she spreadeth out to the oppressed, and, her hands, she extendeth to the needy:

٢١ 21 لَا تَخْشَى عَلَى بَيْتِهَا مِنَ ٱلثَّلْجِ، لِأَنَّ كُلَّ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا لَابِسُونَ حُلَلًا.

She feareth not, for her household, because of the snow, for, all her household, are clothed with crimson:

٢٢ 22 تَعْمَلُ لِنَفْسِهَا مُوَشَّيَاتٍ. لِبْسُهَا بُوصٌ وَأُرْجُوانٌ.

Coverlets, she maketh for herself, Of white linen and of purple, is her clothing:

٢٣ 23 زَوْجُهَا مَعْرُوفٌ فِي ٱلْأَبْوَابِ حِينَ يَجْلِسُ بَيْنَ مَشَايخِ ٱلْأَرْضِ.

Known in the gates, is her husband, when he sitteth, with the elders of the land:

٢٤ 24 تَصْنَعُ قُمْصَانًا وَتَبِيعُهَا، وَتَعْرِضُ مَنَاطِقَ عَلَى ٱلْكَنْعَانِيِّ.

Fine linen wraps, she maketh and selleth, and, girdles, doth she deliver to the trader:

٢٥ 25 اَلْعِزُّ وَٱلْبَهَاءُ لِبَاسُهَا، وَتَضْحَكُ عَلَى ٱلزَّمَنِ ٱلْآتِي.

Strength and dignity, are her clothing, and she laugheth at the time to come:

٢٦ 26 تَفْتَحُ فَمَهَا بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ، وَفِي لِسَانِهَا سُنَّةُ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ.

Her mouth, she openeth with wisdom, and, the instruction of kindness, is on her tongue:

٢٧ 27 تُرَاقِبُ طُرُقَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهَا، وَلَا تَأْكُلُ خُبْزَ ٱلْكَسَلِ.

She looketh well to the goings of her household, and, the bread of idleness, will she not eat.

٢٨ 28 يَقُومُ أَوْلَادُهَا وَيُطَوِّبُونَهَا. زَوْجُهَا أَيْضًا فَيَمْدَحُهَا:

Her children rise up, and call her happy! her husband, and he praiseth her: —

٢٩ 29 «بَنَاتٌ كَثِيرَاتٌ عَمِلْنَ فَضْلًا، أَمَّا أَنْتِ فَفُقْتِ عَلَيْهِنَّ جَمِيعًا».

Many daughters, have done virtuously, but, thou, excellest them all!

٣٠ 30 اَلْحُسْنُ غِشٌّ وَٱلْجَمَالُ بَاطِلٌ، أَمَّا ٱلْمَرْأَةُ ٱلْمُتَّقِيَةُ ٱلرَّبَّ فَهِيَ تُمْدَحُ.

Deceitful is loveliness and vain is beauty, The woman that revereth Yahweh, she, shall be praised:

٣١ 31 أَعْطُوهَا مِنْ ثَمَرِ يَدَيْهَا، وَلْتَمْدَحْهَا أَعْمَالُهَا فِي ٱلْأَبْوَابِ.

Give her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her own works, praise her in the gates.