箴言 31
1 瑪薩的君王肋慕耳的格言，是他母親教給他的：
Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that 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 son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
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。
Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
4 肋慕耳! 清酒不宜於君王，醇酒不宜於公侯，
Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
5 免得在酒興之餘，輕易將法律忘掉，顛倒窮人的是非。
Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons 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，
Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
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。
He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
8 你應為啞吧開口，為被棄的人辯護；
Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
9 你應開口秉公行審，應為貧苦弱小辯護。
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'
10 賢淑的婦女，有誰能找到﹖她本身價值，遠勝過珠寶。
A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
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 hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
12 她一生歲月，只叫他幸福，不給他煩惱。
She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
13 她弄來羊毛細麻，愉快地親手勞作。
She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
14 她宛如一隻商船，由遠處運來食糧。
She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
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。
Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
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 hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17 她以勇力束腰，增強自己臂力。
She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
18 她發覺自己經營生利，她的燈盞夜間仍不熄滅。
She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19 她手執紡錘，手指旋轉紗錠。
Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
20 對貧苦的人，她隨手賙濟；對無靠的人，她伸手扶助。
Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
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 is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
22 她為自己做了華麗的舖蓋，身穿的是細麻和紫錦的衣裳。
Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23 她的丈夫與當地長老同席，在城門口深為眾人所認識。
Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
24 她紡織紗布予以出售，又製造腰帶賣與商賈。
Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
25 剛毅和尊嚴是她的服飾，一念及將來便笑容滿面。
Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
26 她一開口即傾吐智慧，舌上常有仁慈的訓誨。
Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
27 她不斷督察家務，從不白吃閒飯。
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
28 她的子女起來向她祝福，她的丈夫對她讚不絕口：「
Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
29 賢淑的女子很多，唯有你超群群出眾。」
'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above 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。
The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
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!
Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
