מִשְׁלֵי 31

1 דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃

My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.

2 מַה־בְּרִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃

What will you keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to you: what? son of my womb? what? son of my vows?

3 אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַֽמְחוֹת מְלָכִֽין׃

Give not your wealth to women, nor your mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.

4 אַל לַֽמְלָכִים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵל אַל לַֽמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ־יָיִן וּלְרוֹזְנִים או אֵי שֵׁכָֽר׃

Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:

5 פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִֽישַׁנֶּה דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃

lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.

6 תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:

7 יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכָּר־עֽוֹד׃

that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.

8 פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי חֲלֽוֹף׃

Open your mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.

9 פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפָט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃

Open your mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.

10 אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָֽהּ׃

Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.

11 בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָֽר׃

The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.

12 גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיה׃

For she employs all her living for her husband's good.

13 דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃

Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.

14 הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָֽהּ׃

She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.

15 וַתָּקָם ׀ בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃

And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and [appointed] tasks to her maidens.

16 זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נטע נָטְעָה כָּֽרֶם׃

She views a farm, and buys it: and with the fruit of her hands she plants and a possession.

17 חָֽגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃

She strongly girds her loins, and strengthens her arms for work.

18 טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ לֹֽא־יִכְבֶּה בליל בַלַּיְלָה נֵרָֽהּ׃

And she finds by experience that working is good; and her candle goes not out all night.

19 יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃

She reaches forth her arms to needful [works], and applies her hands to the spindle.

20 כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃

And she opens her hands to the needy, and reaches out fruit to the poor.

21 לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad: for all her household are clothed.

22 מַרְבַדִּים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃

She makes for her husband clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.

23 נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

And her husband becomes a distinguished [person] in the gates, when he sits in council with the old inhabitants of the land.

24 סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃

She makes fine linens, and sells girdles to the Chananites: she opens her mouth heedfully and with propriety, and controls her tongue.

25 עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃

She puts on strength and honor; and rejoices in the last days.

26 פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתֽוֹרַת־חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃

But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.

27 צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵֽל׃

The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.

28 קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃

And [her] kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.

29 רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃

Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but you have exceeded, you have surpassed all.

30 שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃

Charms are false, and woman's beauty is vain: for it is a wise woman that is blessed, and let her praise the fear the Lord.

31 תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִֽיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ 915 31 4 4

Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.