מִשְׁלֵי 31

1 דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמֹּֽו׃

The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:

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

“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

3 אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְחֹ֥ות מְלָכִֽין׃

Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

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

It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’

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

lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.

6 תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֣ר לְאֹובֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.

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 your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

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

Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

10 אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃

Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.

11 בָּ֣טַח בָּ֭הּ לֵ֣ב בַּעְלָ֑הּ וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל לֹ֣א יֶחְסָֽר׃

The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.

12 גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ טֹ֣וב וְלֹא־רָ֑ע כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיה׃

She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

13 דָּ֭רְשָׁה צֶ֣מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ בְּחֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃

She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.

14 הָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיֹּ֣ות סֹוחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃

She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.

15 וַתָּ֤קָם ׀ בְּעֹ֬וד לַ֗יְלָה וַתִּתֵּ֣ן טֶ֣רֶף לְבֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝חֹ֗ק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃

She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

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

She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

17 חָֽגְרָ֣ה בְעֹ֣וז מָתְנֶ֑יהָ וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ זְרֹעֹותֶֽיהָ׃

She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.

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

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

19 יָ֭דֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָ֣ה בַכִּישֹׁ֑ור וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃

She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

20 כַּ֭פָּהּ פָּרְשָׂ֣ה לֶעָנִ֑י וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ שִׁלְּחָ֥ה לָֽאֶבְיֹֽון׃

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.

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

She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 מַרְבַדִּ֥ים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּ֑הּ שֵׁ֖שׁ וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃

She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 נֹודָ֣ע בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים בַּעְלָ֑הּ בְּ֝שִׁבְתֹּ֗ו עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits amongst the elders of the land.

24 סָדִ֣ין עָ֭שְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר וַ֝חֲגֹ֗ור נָתְנָ֥ה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃

She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.

25 עֹז־וְהָדָ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְיֹ֣ום אַחֲרֹֽון׃

Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.

26 פִּ֭יהָ פָּתְחָ֣ה בְחָכְמָ֑ה וְתֹֽורַת־חֶ֝֗סֶד עַל־לְשֹׁונָֽהּ׃

She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.

27 צֹ֭ופִיָּה הֲלִיכֹ֣ות בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל׃

She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.

28 קָ֣מוּ בָ֭נֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָֽהּ׃

Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:

29 רַבֹּ֣ות בָּ֭נֹות עָ֣שׂוּ חָ֑יִל וְ֝אַ֗תְּ עָלִ֥ית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃

“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”

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

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 תְּנוּ־לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ וִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃

Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!