< Proverbs 31 >

1 Words of Lemuel, a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃
2 “What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
מַה־בְּרִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃
3 Do not give your strength to women, And your ways to wiping away of kings.
אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַֽמְחוֹת מְלָכִֽין׃
4 [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes—a desire of strong drink.
אַל לַֽמְלָכִים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵל אַל לַֽמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ־יָיִן וּלְרוֹזְנִים (או) [אֵי] שֵׁכָֽר׃
5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִישַׁנֶּה דִּין כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃
6 Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃
7 He drinks, and forgets his poverty, And he does not remember his misery again.
יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכׇּר־עֽוֹד׃
8 Open your mouth for the mute, For the right of all sons of change.
פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כׇּל־בְּנֵי חֲלֽוֹף׃
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!”
פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
10 [ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.
אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָֽהּ׃
11 The heart of her husband has trusted in her, And he does not lack spoil.
בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָֽר׃
12 She has done him good, and not evil, All [the] days of her life.
גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיהָ׃
13 She has sought wool and flax, And with delight she works [with] her hands.
דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃
14 She has been as ships of the merchant, She brings in her bread from afar.
הָיְתָה כׇּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָֽהּ׃
15 Indeed, she rises while yet night, And gives food to her household, And a portion to her girls.
וַתָּקׇם ׀ בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃
16 She has considered a field, and takes it, She has planted a vineyard from the fruit of her hands.
זָֽמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ (נטע) [נָטְעָה] כָּֽרֶם׃
17 She has girded her loins with might, And strengthens her arms.
חָֽגְרָה בְעוֹז מׇתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶֽיהָ׃
18 She has perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ לֹא־יִכְבֶּה (בליל) [בַלַּיְלָה] נֵרָֽהּ׃
19 She has sent forth her hands on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃
20 She has spread forth her hand to the poor, Indeed, she sent forth her hands to the needy.
כַּפָּהּ פָּֽרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
21 She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כׇל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
22 She has made ornamental coverings for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
מַרְבַדִּים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃
23 Her husband is known in the gates, In his sitting with [the] elderly of [the] land.
נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
24 She has made linen garments, and sells, And she has given a girdle to the merchant.
סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃
25 Strength and honor [are] her clothing, And she rejoices at a latter day.
עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃
26 She has opened her mouth in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחׇכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃
27 She [is] watching the ways of her household, And she does not eat bread of sloth.
צוֹפִיָּה (הילכות) [הֲלִיכוֹת] בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵֽל׃
28 Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her blessed, Her husband, and he praises her,
קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַֽיְהַלְלָֽהּ׃
29 “The daughters who have done worthily [are] many, You have gone up above them all.”
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃
30 Favor [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing YHWH, she may boast herself.
שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהֹוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃
31 Give to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works praise her in the gates!
תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַֽעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃

< Proverbs 31 >