箴言 知恵の泉 31
1 レムエル王のことば即ちその母の彼に敎へし箴言なり
These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 わが子よ何を言んか わが胎の子よ何をいはんか 我が願ひて得たる子よ何をいはんか
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 なんぢの力を女につひやすなかれ 王を滅すものに汝の途をまかする勿れ
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 レムエルよ酒を飮は王の爲べき事に非ず 王の爲べき事にあらず 醇醪を求むるは牧伯の爲すべき事にあらず
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
5 恐くは酒を飮て律法をわすれ 且すべて惱まさるる者の審判を枉げん
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 醇醪を亡びんとする者にあたへ 酒を心の傷める者にあたへよ
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 かれ飮てその貧窮をわすれ 復その苦楚を憶はざるべし
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 なんぢ瘖者のため又すべての孤者の訟のために口をひらけ
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 なんぢ口をひらきて義しき審判をなし貧者と窮乏者の訟を糺せ
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
10 誰か賢き女を見出すことを得ん その價は眞珠よりも貴とし
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 その夫の心は彼を恃み その產業は乏しくならじ
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 彼が存命ふる間はその夫に善事をなして惡き事をなさず
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13 彼は羊の毛と麻とを求め喜びて手から操き
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 商賈の舟のごとく遠き國よりその糧を運び
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 夜のあけぬ先に起てその家人に糧をあたへ その婢女に日用の分をあたふ
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 田畝をはかりて之を買ひ その手の操作をもて葡萄園を植ゑ
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 力をもて腰に帶し その手を強くす
She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 彼はその利潤の益あるを知る その燈火は終夜きえず
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 かれ手を紡線車にのべ その指に紡錘をとり
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 手を貧者にのべ 手を困苦者に舒ぶ
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 彼は家人の爲に雪をおそれず 蓋その家人みな蕃紅の衣をきればなり
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 彼はおのれの爲に美しき褥子をつくり 細布と紫とをもてその衣とせり
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 その夫はその地の長老とともに邑の門に坐するによりて人に知るるなり
Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 彼は細布の衣を製りてこれをうり 帶をつくりて商賈にあたふ
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 彼は筋力と尊貴とを衣とし且のちの日を笑ふ
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 彼は口を啓きて智慧をのぶ 仁愛の敎誨その舌にあり
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 かれはその家の事を鑒み 怠惰の糧を食はず
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 その衆子は起て彼を祝す その夫も彼を讃ていふ
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 賢く事をなす女子は多けれども 汝はすべての女子に愈れり
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 艶麗はいつはりなり 美色は呼吸のごとし 惟ヱホバを畏るる女は譽られん
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 その手の操作の果をこれにあたへ その行爲によりてこれを邑の門にほめよ
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
