מִשְׁלֵי 31

1 דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמֹּֽו׃

The words given to King Lemuel; the prophecy which his mother taught him.

2 מַה־בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃

What, O my son! and what, O son of my womb! Yea, what, O son of my vows! [[shall I say to thee?]]

3 אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְחֹ֥ות מְלָכִֽין׃

Give not thy strength to women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings!

4 אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמֹואֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתֹו־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרֹוזְנִ֗ים אֹו (אֵ֣י) שֵׁכָֽר׃

It is not for kings, O Lemuel! It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes to desire strong drink;

5 פֶּן־יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּה דִּ֣ין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃

Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the rights of any of the afflicted.

6 תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֣ר לְאֹובֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, And wine to him that hath a heavy heart;

7 יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישֹׁ֑ו וַ֝עֲמָלֹ֗ו לֹ֣א יִזְכָּר־עֹֽוד׃

Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more!

8 פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֹֽוף׃

Open thy mouth for the dumb, In the cause of every orphan!

9 פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפָט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֹֽון׃ פ

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And maintain the cause of the poor and needy!

10 אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃

Who can find a capable woman? Her worth is far above pearls.

11 בָּ֣טַח בָּ֭הּ לֵ֣ב בַּעְלָ֑הּ וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל לֹ֣א יֶחְסָֽר׃

The heart of her husband trusteth in her, And he is in no want of gain.

12 גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ טֹ֣וב וְלֹא־רָ֑ע כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיה׃

She doeth him good, and not evil, All the days of her life.

13 דָּ֭רְשָׁה צֶ֣מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ בְּחֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃

She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.

14 הָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיֹּ֣ות סֹוחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃

She is like the merchants' ships; She bringeth her food from afar.

15 וַתָּ֤קָם ׀ בְּעֹ֬וד לַ֗יְלָה וַתִּתֵּ֣ן טֶ֣רֶף לְבֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝חֹ֗ק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃

She riseth while it is yet night, And giveth food to her family, And a task to her maidens.

16 זָמְמָ֣ה שָׂ֭דֶה וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ מִפְּרִ֥י כַ֝פֶּ֗יהָ נְטַע (נָ֣טְעָה) כָּֽרֶם׃

She layeth a plan for a field, and buyeth it; With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 חָֽגְרָ֣ה בְעֹ֣וז מָתְנֶ֑יהָ וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ זְרֹעֹותֶֽיהָ׃

She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.

18 טָ֭עֲמָה כִּי־טֹ֣וב סַחְרָ֑הּ לֹֽא־יִכְבֶּ֖ה בַלַּיִל (בַלַּ֣יְלָה) נֵרָֽהּ׃

She perceiveth how pleasant is her gain, And her lamp is not extinguished in the night.

19 יָ֭דֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָ֣ה בַכִּישֹׁ֑ור וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃

She putteth forth her hands to the distaff, And her hands take hold of the spindle.

20 כַּ֭פָּהּ פָּרְשָׂ֣ה לֶעָנִ֑י וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ שִׁלְּחָ֥ה לָֽאֶבְיֹֽון׃

She spreadeth out her hand to the poor, Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 לֹא־תִירָ֣א לְבֵיתָ֣הּ מִשָּׁ֑לֶג כִּ֥י כָל־בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּ לָבֻ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

She hath no fear for her household on account of the snow, For all her household are clothed with crimson.

22 מַרְבַדִּ֥ים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּ֑הּ שֵׁ֖שׁ וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃

She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is of fine linen and purple.

23 נֹודָ֣ע בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים בַּעְלָ֑הּ בְּ֝שִׁבְתֹּ֗ו עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth with the elders of the land.

24 סָדִ֣ין עָ֭שְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר וַ֝חֲגֹ֗ור נָתְנָ֥ה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃

She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles to the merchant.

25 עֹז־וְהָדָ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְיֹ֣ום אַחֲרֹֽון׃

Strength and honor are her clothing; And she laugheth at the days to come.

26 פִּ֭יהָ פָּתְחָ֣ה בְחָכְמָ֑ה וְתֹֽורַת־חֶ֝֗סֶד עַל־לְשֹׁונָֽהּ׃

She openeth her mouth with wisdom, And kind instruction is upon her tongue.

27 צֹ֭ופִיָּה הֲלִיכֹ֣ות בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל׃

She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 קָ֣מוּ בָ֭נֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָֽהּ׃

Her children rise up, and extol her; Her husband, and praiseth her, [[saving, ]]

29 רַבֹּ֣ות בָּ֭נֹות עָ֣שׂוּ חָ֑יִל וְ֝אַ֗תְּ עָלִ֥ית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃

“Many daughters have done, virtuously, But thou excellest them all.”

30 שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭חֵן וְהֶ֣בֶל הַיֹּ֑פִי אִשָּׁ֥ה יִרְאַת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃

Grace is deceitful, and beauty vain; But the woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 תְּנוּ־לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ וִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃

Give ye her of the fruit of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.