מִשְׁלֵי 31
| דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃ | 1 |
The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
| מַה־בְּרִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃ | 2 |
“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
| אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַֽמְחוֹת מְלָכִֽין׃ | 3 |
Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
| אַל לַֽמְלָכִים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵל אַל לַֽמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ־יָיִן וּלְרוֹזְנִים או אֵי שֵׁכָֽר׃ | 4 |
It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
| פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִֽישַׁנֶּה דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃ | 5 |
lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
| תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ | 6 |
Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
| יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכָּר־עֽוֹד׃ | 7 |
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
| פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי חֲלֽוֹף׃ | 8 |
Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
| פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפָט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ | 9 |
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”
| אֵֽשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָֽהּ׃ | 10 |
Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.
| בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָֽר׃ | 11 |
The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.
| גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיה׃ | 12 |
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
| דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃ | 13 |
She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
| הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָֽהּ׃ | 14 |
She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.
| וַתָּקָם ׀ בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃ | 15 |
She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.
| זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נטע נָטְעָה כָּֽרֶם׃ | 16 |
She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
| חָֽגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ | 17 |
She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.
| טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ לֹֽא־יִכְבֶּה בליל בַלַּיְלָה נֵרָֽהּ׃ | 18 |
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
| יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃ | 19 |
She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
| כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ | 20 |
She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
| לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ | 21 |
She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
| מַרְבַדִּים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ | 22 |
She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
| נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ | 23 |
Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits amongst the elders of the land.
| סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ | 24 |
She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.
| עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ | 25 |
Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.
| פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתֽוֹרַת־חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ | 26 |
She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
| צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵֽל׃ | 27 |
She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
| קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃ | 28 |
Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
| רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃ | 29 |
“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”
| שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃ | 30 |
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
| תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִֽיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ 915 31 4 4 | 31 |
Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!
