מִשְׁלֵי 31
| דברי למואל מלך משא אשר יסרתו אמו׃ | 1 |
The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which his mother instructed him:
| מה ברי ומה בר בטני ומה בר נדרי׃ | 2 |
“What, O my beloved? What, O beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows?
| אל תתן לנשים חילך ודרכיך למחות מלכין׃ | 3 |
Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings.
| אל למלכים למואל אל למלכים שתו יין ולרוזנים או שכר׃ | 4 |
Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns.
| פן ישתה וישכח מחקק וישנה דין כל בני עני׃ | 5 |
And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor.
| תנו שכר לאובד ויין למרי נפש׃ | 6 |
Give strong drink to the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul.
| ישתה וישכח רישו ועמלו לא יזכר עוד׃ | 7 |
Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more.
| פתח פיך לאלם אל דין כל בני חלוף׃ | 8 |
Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through.
| פתח פיך שפט צדק ודין עני ואביון׃ | 9 |
Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor.
| אשת חיל מי ימצא ורחק מפנינים מכרה׃ | 10 |
Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price.
| בטח בה לב בעלה ושלל לא יחסר׃ | 11 |
The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils.
| גמלתהו טוב ולא רע כל ימי חייה׃ | 12 |
She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
| דרשה צמר ופשתים ותעש בחפץ כפיה׃ | 13 |
She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands.
| היתה כאניות סוחר ממרחק תביא לחמה׃ | 14 |
She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away.
| ותקם בעוד לילה ותתן טרף לביתה וחק לנערתיה׃ | 15 |
And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids.
| זממה שדה ותקחהו מפרי כפיה נטע כרם׃ | 16 |
She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard.
| חגרה בעוז מתניה ותאמץ זרעותיה׃ | 17 |
She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm.
| טעמה כי טוב סחרה לא יכבה בליל נרה׃ | 18 |
She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night.
| ידיה שלחה בכישור וכפיה תמכו פלך׃ | 19 |
She has put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
| כפה פרשה לעני וידיה שלחה לאביון׃ | 20 |
She has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended her hands to the poor.
| לא תירא לביתה משלג כי כל ביתה לבש שנים׃ | 21 |
She shall not fear, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold.
| מרבדים עשתה לה שש וארגמן לבושה׃ | 22 |
She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment.
| נודע בשערים בעלה בשבתו עם זקני ארץ׃ | 23 |
Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land.
| סדין עשתה ותמכר וחגור נתנה לכנעני׃ | 24 |
She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite.
| עז והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון׃ | 25 |
Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days.
| פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת חסד על לשונה׃ | 26 |
She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
| צופיה הליכות ביתה ולחם עצלות לא תאכל׃ | 27 |
She has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness.
| קמו בניה ויאשרוה בעלה ויהללה׃ | 28 |
Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her.
| רבות בנות עשו חיל ואת עלית על כלנה׃ | 29 |
Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all.
| שקר החן והבל היפי אשה יראת יהוה היא תתהלל׃ | 30 |
Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised.
| תנו לה מפרי ידיה ויהללוה בשערים מעשיה׃ | 31 |
Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates.
