Proverbs 31
1 These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
瑪薩的君王肋慕耳的格言，是他母親教給他的：
2 What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
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﹖
3 Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
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。
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
肋慕耳! 清酒不宜於君王，醇酒不宜於公侯，
5 lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
免得在酒興之餘，輕易將法律忘掉，顛倒窮人的是非。
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
應將醇酒給與哀慟欲絕的人，應將清酒給與心靈痛楚的人，
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
好叫他們喝了，完全忘掉自己的貧乏，不再記憶自己的憂苦。
8 Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
你應為啞吧開口，為被棄的人辯護；
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
你應開口秉公行審，應為貧苦弱小辯護。
10 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
賢淑的婦女，有誰能找到﹖她本身價值，遠勝過珠寶。
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
她的丈夫對她衷心信賴，一切所需從來不會缺少。
12 She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
她一生歲月，只叫他幸福，不給他煩惱。
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
她弄來羊毛細麻，愉快地親手勞作。
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
她宛如一隻商船，由遠處運來食糧。
15 She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
天還未明，她已起身，為給家人分配食物，給婢女們分派家務。
16 She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
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。
17 She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
她以勇力束腰，增強自己臂力。
18 She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
她發覺自己經營生利，她的燈盞夜間仍不熄滅。
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
她手執紡錘，手指旋轉紗錠。
20 She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
對貧苦的人，她隨手賙濟；對無靠的人，她伸手扶助。
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
為自己的家人，她不害怕風雪，因為全家上下，都穿雙料衣裳。
22 She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
她為自己做了華麗的舖蓋，身穿的是細麻和紫錦的衣裳。
23 Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
她的丈夫與當地長老同席，在城門口深為眾人所認識。
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
她紡織紗布予以出售，又製造腰帶賣與商賈。
25 Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
剛毅和尊嚴是她的服飾，一念及將來便笑容滿面。
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
她一開口即傾吐智慧，舌上常有仁慈的訓誨。
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
她不斷督察家務，從不白吃閒飯。
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
她的子女起來向她祝福，她的丈夫對她讚不絕口：「
29 “Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
賢淑的女子很多，唯有你超群群出眾。」
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
姿色是虛幻，美麗是泡影；敬畏上主的女人，纔堪當受人讚美。
31 Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
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!
