Mishle 31
31
1The devarim of Lemuel Melech,
the massa (burden, oracle) that immo taught him.
2What, my bar (son)?#31:2 See Ps 2:12 And what, the bar of my womb?
And what, the bar of my nedarim (vows)?
3Give not thy strength unto nashim,
nor thy drakhim to that which destroyeth melachim.
4It is not for melachim, O Lemuel,
it is not for melachim to drink yayin;
nor for rulers to crave strong drink;
5Lest they drink, and forget the decree,
and pervert the justice of the bnei oni (all the oppressed afflicted people).
6Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
and yayin unto those that be of bitter nefesh.
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his amal (misery) no more.
8Open thy peh (mouth) for the illem (mute)
in the cause of all such as are bnei chalof (sons of destitution).
9Open thy peh (mouth), judge tzedek,
and plead the cause of the oni and the evyon.
10Who can find an aishes chayil (a woman of valor, an excellent wife)?#31:10 Prov 12:4
For her worth is far above rubies.
11The lev of her ba'al (husband) doth securely trust in her,
so that he shall have no lack of gain.
12She will do him tov and not rah
all the days of her life.
13She seeketh tzemer (wool), and flax,
and worketh willingly with her palms.
14She is like the oniyyot socher (ship merchant);
she bringeth her lechem from afar.
15She riseth also while it is yet lailah,
and provideth food to her bais,
and a chok (portion) to her na'arot (servant girls).
16She considereth a sadeh, and buyeth it;
with the fruit of her palms she planteth a kerem (vineyard).
17She girdeth her loins with strength,
and strengtheneth her zero'ot (arms).
18She perceiveth that her merchandise is tov;
her ner (light) goeth not out balailah.
19She layeth her yadayim to the distaff,
and her fingers lay hold of the spindle.
20She extends her palms to the oni;
indeed, she reacheth forth her yadayim to the evyon (needy).
21She is not afraid of the sheleg (snow) for her bais;
for all her bais are clothed with scarlet.
22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry;
her levush (clothing) is fine linen and purple.
23Her ba'al (husband) is known in the she'arim,
when he sitteth among the ziknei eretz.
24She maketh fine garments, and selleth them;
and delivereth sashes unto the kena'ani (merchant).
25Oz (strength) and hadar (dignity) are her clothing;
and her smile is toward the yom acharon (coming day, future).
26She openeth her peh (mouth) with chochmah;
and on her lashon is the torat chesed (teaching of kindness).
27She watcheth well over the halichot (goings, ways) of her bais (household),
and eateth not the lechem atzlut (bread of idleness).
28Her banim rise up, and call her blessed;
her ba'al (husband) also, and he praiseth her.
29Rabbot banot have done virtuously,
but thou excellest them all.
30Chen (charm) is sheker (deceitful), and yofi (beauty) is fleeting;
but an isha Yirat Hashem (a G-d fearing wife), she shall be praised.
31Give her of the p'ri (fruit) of her yadayim;
and let her own ma'asim praise her in the she'arim.
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Mishle 31: TOJB2011
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FOURTH EDITION REVISED © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021, 2024.
