hebrew | kjv | web | basic | ||||
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1. |
דברי למואל מלך משא אשר־יסרתו אמו׃ |
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. | The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him. | The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother. | |||
2. |
מה־ברי ומה־בר־בטני ומה בר־נדרי׃ |
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? | "Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows! | What am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths? | |||
3. |
אל־תתן לנשים חילך ודרכיך למחות מלכין׃ |
Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. | Don't give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings. | Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings. | |||
4. |
אל למלכים למואל אל למלכים שתו־יין ולרוזנים או שכר׃ |
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: | It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, 'Where is strong drink?' | It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink? | |||
5. |
פן־ישתה וישכח מחקק וישנה דין כל־בני־עני׃ |
Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. | lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted. | For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble. | |||
6. |
תנו־שכר לאובד ויין למרי נפש׃ |
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. | Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul: | Give strong drink to him who is near to destruction, and wine to him whose soul is bitter: | |||
7. |
ישתה וישכח רישו ועמלו לא יזכר־עוד׃ |
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. | Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone. | |||
8. |
פתח־פיך לאלם אל־דין כל־בני חלוף׃ |
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. | Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. | Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death. | |||
9. |
פתח־פיך שפט־צדק ודין עני ואביון׃ |
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. | Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy." | Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need. | |||
10. |
אשת־חיל מי ימצא ורחק מפנינים מכרה׃ |
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. | {Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order.}Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies. | Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels. | |||
11. |
בטח בה לב בעלה ושלל לא יחסר׃ |
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. | The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain. | The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure. | |||
12. |
גמלתהו טוב ולא־רע כל ימי חייה׃ |
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. | She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. | She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. | |||
13. |
דרשה צמר ופשתים ותעש בחפץ כפיה׃ |
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. | She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands. | She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands. | |||
14. |
היתה כאניות סוחר ממרחק תביא לחמה׃ |
She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. | She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar. | She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away. | |||
15. |
ותקם בעוד לילה ותתן טרף לביתה וחק לנערתיה׃ |
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. | She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls. | She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls. | |||
16. |
זממה שדה ותקחהו מפרי כפיה נטע כרם׃ |
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. | She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. | After looking at a field with care, she gets it for a price, planting a vine-garden with the profit of her work. | |||
17. |
חגרה בעוז מתניה ותאמץ זרעותיה׃ |
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. | She girds her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong. | She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong. | |||
18. |
טעמה כי־טוב סחרה לא־יכבה בליל נרה׃ |
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. | She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn't go out by night. | She sees that her marketing is of profit to her: her light does not go out by night. | |||
19. |
ידיה שלחה בכישור וכפיה תמכו פלך׃ |
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. | She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. | She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel. | |||
20. |
כפה פרשה לעני וידיה שלחה לאביון׃ |
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. | She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy. | Her hands are stretched out to the poor; yes, she is open-handed to those who are in need. | |||
21. |
לא־תירא לביתה משלג כי כל־ביתה לבש שנים׃ |
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. | She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet. | She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red. | |||
22. |
מרבדים עשתה־לה שש וארגמן לבושה׃ |
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. | She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. | She makes for herself cushions of needlework; her clothing is fair linen and purple. | |||
23. |
נודע בשערים בעלה בשבתו עם־זקני־ארץ׃ |
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. | Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. | Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land. | |||
24. |
סדין עשתה ותמכר וחגור נתנה לכנעני׃ |
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. | She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant. | She makes linen robes and gets a price for them, and traders take her cloth bands for a price. | |||
25. |
עז־והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון׃ |
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. | Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come. | Strength and self-respect are her clothing; she is facing the future with a smile. | |||
26. |
פיה פתחה בחכמה ותורת־חסד על־לשונה׃ |
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. | She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue. | Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue. | |||
27. |
צופיה הליכות ביתה ולחם עצלות לא תאכל׃ |
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. | She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn't eat the bread of idleness. | She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it. | |||
28. |
קמו בניה ויאשרוה בעלה ויהללה׃ |
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. | Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: | Her children get up and give her honour, and her husband gives her praise, saying, | |||
29. |
רבות בנות עשו חיל ואת עלית על־כלנה׃ |
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. | "Many women do noble things, but you excel them all." | Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them. | |||
30. |
שקר החן והבל היפי אשה יראת־יהוה היא תתהלל׃ |
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. | Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. | Fair looks are a deceit, and a beautiful form is of no value; but a woman who has the fear of the Lord is to be praised. | |||
31. |
תנו־לה מפרי ידיה ויהללוה בשערים מעשיה׃ |
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. | Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates! | Give her credit for what her hands have made: let her be praised by her works in the public place. | |||