31
1 The devarim of Lemuel Melech,
the massa (burden, oracle) that immo taught him.
2 What, my bar (son)?* And what, the bar of my womb?
And what, the bar of my nedarim (vows)?
3 Give not thy strength unto nashim,
nor thy drakhim to that which destroyeth melachim.
4 It is not for melachim, O Lemuel,
it is not for melachim to drink yayin;
nor for rulers to crave strong drink;
5 Lest they drink, and forget the decree,
and pervert the justice of the bnei oni (all the oppressed afflicted people).
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
and yayin unto those that be of bitter nefesh.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his amal (misery) no more.
8 Open thy peh (mouth) for the illem (mute)
in the cause of all such as are bnei chalof (sons of destitution).
9 Open thy peh (mouth), judge tzedek,
and plead the cause of the oni and the evyon.
10 Who can find an aishes chayil (a woman of valor, an excellent wife)?†
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The lev of her ba'al (husband) doth securely trust in her,
so that he shall have no lack of gain.
12 She will do him tov and not rah
all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh tzemer (wool), and flax,
and worketh willingly with her palms.
14 She is like the oniyyot socher (ship merchant);
she bringeth her lechem from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet lailah,
and provideth food to her bais,
and a chok (portion) to her na'arot (servant girls).
16 She considereth a sadeh, and buyeth it;
with the fruit of her palms she planteth a kerem (vineyard).
17 She girdeth her loins with strength,
and strengtheneth her zero'ot (arms).
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is tov;
her ner (light) goeth not out balailah.
19 She layeth her yadayim to the distaff,
and her fingers lay hold of the spindle.
20 She extends her palms to the oni;
indeed, she reacheth forth her yadayim to the evyon (needy).
21 She is not afraid of the sheleg (snow) for her bais;
for all her bais are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry;
her levush (clothing) is fine linen and purple.
23 Her ba'al (husband) is known in the she'arim,
when he sitteth among the ziknei eretz.
24 She maketh fine garments, and selleth them;
and delivereth sashes unto the kena'ani (merchant).
25 Oz (strength) and hadar (dignity) are her clothing;
and her smile is toward the yom acharon (coming day, future).
26 She openeth her peh (mouth) with chochmah;
and on her lashon is the torat chesed (teaching of kindness).
27 She watcheth well over the halichot (goings, ways) of her bais (household),
and eateth not the lechem atzlut (bread of idleness).
28 Her banim rise up, and call her blessed;
her ba'al (husband) also, and he praiseth her.
29 Rabbot banot have done virtuously,
but thou excellest them all.
30 Chen (charm) is sheker (deceitful), and yofi (beauty) is fleeting;
but an isha Yirat Hashem(a G-d fearing wife), she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the p'ri (fruit) of her yadayim;
and let her own ma'asim praise her in the she'arim.
* 31:2 See Ps 2:12 † 31:10 Prov 12:4