箴言 31
1 瑪薩的君王肋慕耳的格言，是他母親教給他的：
THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
2 我兒! 我的親生兒! 我的長子肋慕耳! 我許願所得的孩子! 我可給你說些什麼﹖
What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
3 你不要將你的精力，為女人而消耗；也不要為君王的宮女，白費你的血氣。
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
4 肋慕耳! 清酒不宜於君王，醇酒不宜於公侯，
It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,
5 免得在酒興之餘，輕易將法律忘掉，顛倒窮人的是非。
Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
6 應將醇酒給與哀慟欲絕的人，應將清酒給與心靈痛楚的人，
Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.
7 好叫他們喝了，完全忘掉自己的貧乏，不再記憶自己的憂苦。
Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
8 你應為啞吧開口，為被棄的人辯護；
Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
9 你應開口秉公行審，應為貧苦弱小辯護。
Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
10 賢淑的婦女，有誰能找到﹖她本身價值，遠勝過珠寶。
Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
11 她的丈夫對她衷心信賴，一切所需從來不會缺少。
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
12 她一生歲月，只叫他幸福，不給他煩惱。
She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
13 她弄來羊毛細麻，愉快地親手勞作。
She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
14 她宛如一隻商船，由遠處運來食糧。
She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
15 天還未明，她已起身，為給家人分配食物，給婢女們分派家務。
And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
16 她看中一塊田地，就將它買了來，以雙手所得的收入，栽植了葡萄園。
She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.
17 她以勇力束腰，增強自己臂力。
She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
18 她發覺自己經營生利，她的燈盞夜間仍不熄滅。
She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
19 她手執紡錘，手指旋轉紗錠。
She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
20 對貧苦的人，她隨手賙濟；對無靠的人，她伸手扶助。
She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
21 為自己的家人，她不害怕風雪，因為全家上下，都穿雙料衣裳。
She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
22 她為自己做了華麗的舖蓋，身穿的是細麻和紫錦的衣裳。
She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
23 她的丈夫與當地長老同席，在城門口深為眾人所認識。
Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
24 她紡織紗布予以出售，又製造腰帶賣與商賈。
She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
25 剛毅和尊嚴是她的服飾，一念及將來便笑容滿面。
Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
26 她一開口即傾吐智慧，舌上常有仁慈的訓誨。
She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
27 她不斷督察家務，從不白吃閒飯。
She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
28 她的子女起來向她祝福，她的丈夫對她讚不絕口：「
Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
29 賢淑的女子很多，唯有你超群群出眾。」
Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
30 姿色是虛幻，美麗是泡影；敬畏上主的女人，纔堪當受人讚美。
Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
31 願她享受她雙手操勞的成果! 願她的事業在城門口使她受讚揚!
Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
