Proverbs 31
1 The wordis of Lamuel, the king; the visioun bi which his modir tauyte hym.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 What my derlyng? what the derlyng of my wombe? what the derlyng of my desiris?
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 Yyue thou not thi catel to wymmen, and thi richessis to do awei kyngis.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
4 A! Lamuel, nyle thou yiue wyn to kingis; for no pryuete is, where drunkenesse regneth.
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 Lest perauenture thei drynke, and foryete domes, and chaunge the cause of the sones of a pore man.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 Yyue ye sidur to hem that morenen, and wyn to hem that ben of bitter soule.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Drinke thei, and foryete thei her nedinesse; and thenke thei no more on her sorewe.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Opene thi mouth for a doumb man,
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 and opene thi mouth for the causes of alle sones that passen forth. Deme thou that that is iust, and deme thou a nedi man and a pore man.
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 The herte of hir hosebond tristith in hir; and sche schal not haue nede to spuylis.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 Sche schal yelde to hym good, and not yuel, in alle the daies of hir lijf.
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 Sche souyte wolle and flex; and wrouyte bi the counsel of hir hondis.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 Sche is maad as the schip of a marchaunt, that berith his breed fro fer.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
15 And sche roos bi nyyt, and yaf prey to hir meyneals, and metis to hir handmaidis.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
16 Sche bihelde a feeld, and bouyte it; of the fruyt of hir hondis sche plauntide a vyner.
She [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 Sche girde hir leendis with strengthe, and made strong hir arm.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 Sche taastide, and siy, that hir marchaundie was good; hir lanterne schal not be quenchid in the niyt.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 Sche putte hir hondis to stronge thingis, and hir fyngris token the spyndil.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 Sche openyde hir hond to a nedi man, and stretchide forth hir hondis to a pore man.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 Sche schal not drede for hir hous of the cooldis of snow; for alle hir meyneals ben clothid with double clothis.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
22 Sche made to hir a ray cloth; bijs and purpur is the cloth of hir.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Hir hosebonde is noble in the yatis, whanne he sittith with the senatours of erthe.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
24 Sche made lynnun cloth, and selde; and yaf a girdil to a Chananei.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Strengthe and fairnesse is the clothing of hir; and sche schal leiye in the laste dai.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 Sche bihelde the pathis of hir hous; and sche eet not breed idili.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Hir sones risiden, and prechiden hir moost blessid; hir hosebonde roos, and preiside hir.
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 Many douytris gaderiden richessis; thou passidist alle.
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Fairnesse is disseiuable grace, and veyn; thilke womman, that dredith the Lord, schal be preisid.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
31 Yyue ye to hir of the fruyt of hir hondis; and hir werkis preise hir in the yatis.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
