< מִשְׁלֵי 31 >
דברי למואל מלך-- משא אשר-יסרתו אמו | 1 |
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
מה-ברי ומה-בר-בטני ומה בר-נדרי | 2 |
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
אל-תתן לנשים חילך ודרכיך למחות מלכין | 3 |
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].
אל למלכים למואל--אל למלכים שתו-יין ולרוזנים או (אי) שכר | 4 |
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
פן-ישתה וישכח מחקק וישנה דין כל-בני-עני | 5 |
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
תנו-שכר לאובד ויין למרי נפש | 6 |
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
ישתה וישכח רישו ועמלו לא יזכר-עוד | 7 |
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
פתח-פיך לאלם אל-דין כל-בני חלוף | 8 |
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.
פתח-פיך שפט-צדק ודין עני ואביון | 9 |
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.
אשת-חיל מי ימצא ורחק מפנינים מכרה | 10 |
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.
בטח בה לב בעלה ושלל לא יחסר | 11 |
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
גמלתהו טוב ולא-רע-- כל ימי חייה | 12 |
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
דרשה צמר ופשתים ותעש בחפץ כפיה | 13 |
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
היתה כאניות סוחר ממרחק תביא לחמה | 14 |
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
ותקם בעוד לילה--ותתן טרף לביתה וחק לנערתיה | 15 |
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.
זממה שדה ותקחהו מפרי כפיה נטע (נטעה) כרם | 16 |
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.
חגרה בעוז מתניה ותאמץ זרועתיה | 17 |
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
טעמה כי-טוב סחרה לא-יכבה בליל (בלילה) נרה | 18 |
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.
ידיה שלחה בכישור וכפיה תמכו פלך | 19 |
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
כפה פרשה לעני וידיה שלחה לאביון | 20 |
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
לא-תירא לביתה משלג כי כל-ביתה לבש שנים | 21 |
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.
מרבדים עשתה-לה שש וארגמן לבושה | 22 |
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
נודע בשערים בעלה בשבתו עם-זקני-ארץ | 23 |
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.
סדין עשתה ותמכר וחגור נתנה לכנעני | 24 |
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
עז-והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון | 25 |
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על-לשונה | 26 |
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
צופיה הילכות (הליכות) ביתה ולחם עצלות לא תאכל | 27 |
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
קמו בניה ויאשרוה בעלה ויהללה | 28 |
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
רבות בנות עשו חיל ואת עלית על-כלנה | 29 |
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
שקר החן והבל היפי אשה יראת-יהוה היא תתהלל | 30 |
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.
תנו-לה מפרי ידיה ויהללוה בשערים מעשיה | 31 |
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.