Proverbs Chapter 31 מִשְׁלֵי
א דִּבְרֵי, לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ-- מַשָּׂא, אֲשֶׁר-יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ.
1 The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him.
ב מַה-בְּרִי, וּמַה-בַּר-בִּטְנִי; וּמֶה, בַּר-נְדָרָי.
2 What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
ג אַל-תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ; וּדְרָכֶיךָ, לַמְחוֹת מְלָכִין.
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
ד אַל לַמְלָכִים, לְמוֹאֵל--אַל לַמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ-יָיִן; וּלְרוֹזְנִים, או אֵי שֵׁכָר.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say: 'Where is strong drink?'
ה פֶּן-יִשְׁתֶּה, וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק; וִישַׁנֶּה, דִּין כָּל-בְּנֵי-עֹנִי.
5 Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.
ו תְּנוּ-שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד; וְיַיִן, לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter in soul;
ז יִשְׁתֶּה, וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ; וַעֲמָלוֹ, לֹא יִזְכָּר-עוֹד.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
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ח פְּתַח-פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם; אֶל-דִּין, כָּל-בְּנֵי חֲלוֹף.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
ט פְּתַח-פִּיךָ שְׁפָט-צֶדֶק; וְדִין, עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
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י אֵשֶׁת-חַיִל, מִי יִמְצָא; וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ.
10 A woman of valour who can find? for her price is far above rubies.
יא בָּטַח בָּהּ, לֵב בַּעְלָהּ; וְשָׁלָל, לֹא יֶחְסָר.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain.
יב גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא-רָע-- כֹּל, יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ.
12 She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life.
יג דָּרְשָׁה, צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים; וַתַּעַשׂ, בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ.
13 She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
יד הָיְתָה, כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר; מִמֶּרְחָק, תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ.
14 She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
טו וַתָּקָם, בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה--וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ; וְחֹק, לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
טז זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה, וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ; מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ, נטע נָטְעָה כָּרֶם.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
יז חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ; וַתְּאַמֵּץ, זְרוֹעֹתֶיהָ.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms.
יח טָעֲמָה, כִּי-טוֹב סַחְרָהּ; לֹא-יִכְבֶּה בליל בַלַּיְלָהנֵרָהּ.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; her lamp goeth not out by night.
יט יָדֶיהָ, שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר; וְכַפֶּיהָ, תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ.
19 She layeth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
כ כַּפָּהּ, פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי; וְיָדֶיהָ, שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
כא לֹא-תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג: כִּי כָל-בֵּיתָהּ, לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
כב מַרְבַדִּים עָשְׂתָה-לָּהּ; שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ.
22 She maketh for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
כג נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ; בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ, עִם-זִקְנֵי-אָרֶץ.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
כד סָדִין עָשְׂתָה, וַתִּמְכֹּר; וַחֲגוֹר, נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי.
24 She maketh linen garments and selleth them; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
כה עֹז-וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ; וַתִּשְׂחַק, לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laugheth at the time to come.
כו פִּיהָ, פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה; וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד, עַל-לְשׁוֹנָהּ.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
כז צוֹפִיָּה, הילכות הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ; וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת, לֹא תֹאכֵל.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
כח קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ, וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ; בַּעְלָהּ, וַיְהַלְלָהּ.
28 Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her:
כט רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת, עָשׂוּ חָיִל; וְאַתְּ, עָלִית עַל-כֻּלָּנָה.
29 'Many daughters have done valiantly, but thou excellest them all.'
ל שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן, וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי: אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת-יְהוָה, הִיא תִתְהַלָּל.
30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
לא תְּנוּ-לָהּ, מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ; וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ.
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31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates.
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Lemuel is a Hebrew name, meaning "devoted to God", which may refer to