The Sayings for King Lemuel

1  דִּ֭בְרֵי (The words) לְמוּאֵ֣ל (of Lemuel), מֶ֑לֶךְ (the king)— מַ֝שָּׂ֗א (the burden) אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־ (which) יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ (taught him) אִמּֽוֹ׃ (his mother):

2  מַה־ (What), בְּ֭רִי (O my son)?

וּמַֽה־ (And what), בַּר־ (O son) בִּטְנִ֑י (of my womb)?

וּ֝מֶה (And what), בַּר־ (O son) נְדָרָֽי׃ (of my vows)?

3  אַל־ (Not) תִּתֵּ֣ן (do give) לַנָּשִׁ֣ים (to the women) חֵילֶ֑ךָ (your strength)

וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ (and your ways) לַֽמְח֥וֹת (to wiping away) מְלָכִֽין׃ (kings).

4  אַ֤ל (Not) לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀ (for kings), לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל (O Lemuel),

אַ֣ל (it is not) לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים (for kings) שְׁתוֹ־ (to drink) יָ֑יִן (wine),

וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים (and for rulers) אוֹ (not) שֵׁכָֽר׃ (strong drink),

5  פֶּן־ (lest) יִ֭שְׁתֶּה (they drink) וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח (and forget) מְחֻקָּ֑ק (the decree),

וִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּה (and pervert) דִּ֣ין (the judgment) כָּל־ (of any) בְּנֵי־ (of the sons) עֹֽנִי׃ (of affliction).

6  תְּנוּ־ (Give) שֵׁכָ֣ר (strong drink) לְאוֹבֵ֑ד (to the one perishing),

וְ֝יַיִן (and wine) לְמָ֣רֵי (to those bitter) נָֽפֶשׁ׃ (of soul).

7  יִ֭שְׁתֶּה (Let him drink) וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח (and forget) רִישׁ֑וֹ (his poverty),

וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ (and his trouble) לֹ֣א (not) יִזְכָּר־ (remember) עֽוֹד׃ (anymore).

8  פְּתַח־ (Open) פִּ֥יךָ (your mouth) לְאִלֵּ֑ם (for a mute one)

אֶל־ (for) דִּ֝֗ין (the cause) כָּל־ (of all) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) חֲלֽוֹף׃ (of destitution).

9  פְּתַח־ (Open) פִּ֥יךָ (your mouth), שְׁפָט־ (judge) צֶ֑דֶק (with righteousness),

וְ֝דִ֗ין (and plead the cause) עָנִ֥י (of the poor one) וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃פ (and needy one).

The Virtues of a Noble Woman

10  אֵֽשֶׁת־ (A wife) חַ֭יִל (of worth), מִ֣י (who) יִמְצָ֑א (can find her)?

וְרָחֹ֖ק (And far) מִפְּנִינִ֣ים (above rubies) מִכְרָֽהּ׃ (is her value).

11  בָּ֣טַח (Trusts) בָּ֭הּ (in her) לֵ֣ב (the heart) בַּעְלָ֑הּ (of her husband),

וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל (and in spoil) לֹ֣א (not) יֶחְסָֽר׃ (is he lacking).

12  גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ (She has done him) ט֣וֹב (good) וְלֹא־ (and not) רָ֑ע (evil)

כֹּ֝֗ל (all) יְמֵ֣י (the days) חַיֶּֽיה׃ (of her life).

13  דָּ֭רְשָׁה (She has sought) צֶ֣מֶר (wool) וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים (and flax)

וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ (and she works it) בְּחֵ֣פֶץ (with the delight) כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃ (of her palms).

14  הָ֭יְתָה (She is) כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת (like the ships) סוֹחֵ֑ר (of a merchant);

מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק (from afar) תָּבִ֥יא (she brings in) לַחְמָֽהּ׃ (her bread).

15  וַתָּ֤קָם׀ (And she rises) בְּע֬וֹד (while it is still) לַ֗יְלָה (night)

וַתִּתֵּ֣ן (and she provides) טֶ֣רֶף (food) לְבֵיתָ֑הּ (for her house)

וְ֝חֹ֗ק (and the portion assigned) לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (to her maidservants).

16  זָמְמָ֣ה (She considers) שָׂ֭דֶה (a field) וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ (and buys it);

מִפְּרִ֥י (from the fruit) כַ֝פֶּ֗יהָ (of her palms) נְטַע (she plants) כָּֽרֶם׃ (a vineyard).

17  חָֽגְרָ֣ה (She girds) בְע֣וֹז (with strength) מָתְנֶ֑יהָ (her loins)

וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ (and strengthens) זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (her arms).

18  טָ֭עֲמָה (She tastes) כִּי־ (that) ט֣וֹב (good is) סַחְרָ֑הּ (her profit);

לֹֽא־ (not) יִכְבֶּ֖ה (is extinguished) בַלַּיִל (in the night) נֵרָֽהּ׃ (her lamp).

19  יָ֭דֶיהָ (Her hands) שִׁלְּחָ֣ה (she stretched out) בַכִּישׁ֑וֹר (to the distaff),

וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ (and her palms) תָּ֣מְכוּ (grasp) פָֽלֶךְ׃ (the spindle).

20  כַּ֭פָּהּ (Her palm) פָּרְשָׂ֣ה (she spreads out) לֶעָנִ֑י (to a poor one),

וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ (and her hands) שִׁלְּחָ֥ה (she sends out) לָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ (to a needy one).

21  לֹא־ (Not) תִירָ֣א (does she fear) לְבֵיתָ֣הּ (for her house) מִשָּׁ֑לֶג (because of snow),

כִּ֥י (for) כָל־ (all) בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּ (her house) לָבֻ֥שׁ (is clothed) שָׁנִֽים׃ (in scarlet).

22  מַרְבַדִּ֥ים (Coverings) עָֽשְׂתָה־ (she has made) לָּ֑הּ (for herself),

שֵׁ֖שׁ (fine linen) וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן (and purple) לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ (are her clothing).

23  נוֹדָ֣ע (Is known) בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים (in the gates) בַּעְלָ֑הּ (her husband)

בְּ֝שִׁבְתּ֗וֹ (in his sitting) עִם־ (with) זִקְנֵי־ (the elders) אָֽרֶץ׃ (of the land).

24  סָדִ֣ין (Linen garments) עָ֭שְׂתָה (she has made) וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר (and sold)

וַ֝חֲג֗וֹר (and a girdle) נָתְנָ֥ה (she gives) לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ (to the merchant).

25  עֹז־ (Strength) וְהָדָ֥ר (and honor) לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ (are her clothing),

וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק (and she laughs) לְי֣וֹם (at the day) אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ (to come).

26  פִּ֭יהָ (Her mouth) פָּתְחָ֣ה (she opens) בְחָכְמָ֑ה (with wisdom)

וְתֽוֹרַת־ (and instruction) חֶ֝֗סֶד (of kindness) עַל־ (is on) לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ (her tongue).

27  צ֭וֹפִיָּה (She watches) הֲלִיכ֣וֹת (the goings) בֵּיתָ֑הּ (of her house),

וְלֶ֥חֶם (and the bread) עַ֝צְל֗וּת (of idleness) לֹ֣א (not) תֹאכֵֽל׃ (does she eat).

28  קָ֣מוּ (Rise up) בָ֭נֶיהָ (her children) וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ (and call her blessed);

בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ (her husband), וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃ (and he praises her).

29  רַבּ֣וֹת (Many) בָּ֭נוֹת (daughters) עָ֣שׂוּ (have acted) חָ֑יִל (with worth),

וְ֝אַ֗תְּ (and you) עָלִ֥ית (have gone up) עַל־ (over) כֻּלָּֽנָה׃ (them all).

30  שֶׁ֣קֶר (Is deceptive) הַ֭חֵן (Charm) וְהֶ֣בֶל (and vapor) הַיֹּ֑פִי (beauty),

אִשָּׁ֥ה (but a woman) יִרְאַת־ (fearing) יְ֝הוָ֗ה (YHWH), הִ֣יא (she) תִתְהַלָּֽל׃ (is to be praised).

31  תְּנוּ־ (Give) לָ֭הּ (to her) מִפְּרִ֣י (from the fruit) יָדֶ֑יהָ (of her hands),

וִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָ (and let praise her) בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים (in the gates) מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ (her own deeds).