Proverbs 31
1 These are the words of King Lemuel, an oracle, taught to him by his mother.
| דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃ |
2 What shall I tell you, my son?—the son I gave birth to, the son given in response to my vows.
| מַה־בְּרִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃ |
3 Don't waste your strength sleeping with women, those that bring down kings.
| אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַֽמְחוֹת מְלָכִֽין׃ |
4 Lemuel, kings shouldn't be drinking wine, rulers shouldn't be drinking alcohol.
| אַל לַֽמְלָכִים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵל אַל לַֽמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ־יָיִן וּלְרוֹזְנִים (או) [אֵי] שֵׁכָֽר׃ |
5 For if they drink, they'll forget what the law says, and pervert the rights of those who are suffering.
| פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִישַׁנֶּה דִּין כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃ |
6 Give alcohol to those who are dying, and wine to those who are in terrible distress.
| תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ |
7 Let them drink so they can forget their poverty, and not remember their troubles any longer.
| יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכׇּר־עֽוֹד׃ |
8 Speak up for those who have no voice, for the rights of those marginalized by society.
| פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כׇּל־בְּנֵי חֲלֽוֹף׃ |
9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the poor and destitute.
| פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ |
10 Who can find a strong, capable wife? She's worth more than jewels!
| אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָֽהּ׃ |
11 Her husband has complete confidence in her, and with her he'll never be poor.
| בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָֽר׃ |
12 She brings him good, not evil, all her life.
| גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיהָ׃ |
13 She gets wool and flax, and with her eager hands turns them into clothes.
| דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃ |
14 Like a merchant's ship, she brings food from far away.
| הָיְתָה כׇּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָֽהּ׃ |
15 She gets up while it's still dark to make breakfast for her family, and to plan what her servant girls need to do.
| וַתָּקׇם ׀ בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃ |
16 She looks at a field, and decides to buy it; from the money she's earned she buys a vineyard.
| זָֽמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ (נטע) [נָטְעָה] כָּֽרֶם׃ |
17 She's keen to get ready, and works hard with her strong arms.
| חָֽגְרָה בְעוֹז מׇתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶֽיהָ׃ |
18 She knows that the things she makes are valuable. She keeps busy—her lamp burns late into the night.
| טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ לֹא־יִכְבֶּה (בליל) [בַלַּיְלָה] נֵרָֽהּ׃ |
19 She spins the thread and weaves the cloth.
| יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃ |
20 She's generous to the poor, and gives help to the needy.
| כַּפָּהּ פָּֽרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ |
21 She doesn't worry if it snows, because her whole family has warm clothing.
| לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כׇל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ |
22 She makes herself bedspreads; she dresses in fine linen and purple clothes.
| מַרְבַדִּים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ |
23 Her husband is well-respected in the council at the town gates, where he sits with the town elders.
| נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ |
24 She makes linen clothes for sale, and supplies merchants with belts.
| סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ |
25 She's clothed with strength and dignity, and she is happy about the future.
| עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ |
26 She speaks wise words, and she's kind when she gives instructions.
| פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחׇכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ |
27 She looks after the needs of her whole household, and she's never idle.
| צוֹפִיָּה (הילכות) [הֲלִיכוֹת] בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵֽל׃ |
28 Her children are quick to bless her. Her husband praises her too, saying,
| קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַֽיְהַלְלָֽהּ׃ |
29 “Many women do great things, but you are better than all of them!”
| רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃ |
30 Charm can deceive, and beauty fades, but a woman who honors the Lord should be praised.
| שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהֹוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃ |
31 Give her the recognition she deserves; praise her publicly for what she's done.
| תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַֽעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ |
