Chapter 31
The Sayings for King Lemuel
1
[These are] the words of King Lemuel— the burden that his mother taught him:
𐤃𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤌𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤌𐤔𐤀 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤌𐤅 𐤉𐤎𐤓𐤕𐤅
דִּ֭בְרֵי מֶ֑לֶךְ לְמוּאֵ֣ל מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲֽשֶׁר־ אִמּֽוֹ׃ יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ diḇ·rê me·leḵ lə·mū·’êl maś·śā ’ăšer- ’im·mōw yis·sə·rat·tū — WLC · 1
2
What [shall I say], O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤓𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤓 𐤁𐤈𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤌𐤄 𐤁𐤓 𐤍𐤃𐤓𐤉
מַה־ בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־ בַּר־ בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶה בַּר־ נְדָרָֽי׃ mah- bə·rî ū·mah- bar- biṭ·nî ū·meh bar- nə·ḏā·rāy — WLC · 2
3
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤕𐤍 𐤇𐤉𐤋𐤊 𐤋𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤊 𐤋𐤌𐤇𐤅𐤕 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤍
אַל־ תִּתֵּ֣ן חֵילֶ֑ךָ לַנָּשִׁ֣ים וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין׃ ’al- tit·tên ḥê·le·ḵā lan·nā·šîm ū·ḏə·rā·ḵe·ḵā lam·ḥō·wṯ mə·lā·ḵîn — WLC · 3
4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers [to crave] strong drink,
𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤕𐤅 𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤋𐤓𐤅𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤅 𐤔𐤊𐤓
אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־ יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים אוֹ שֵׁכָֽר׃ ’al lam·lā·ḵîm lə·mō·w·’êl ’al lam·lā·ḵîm šə·ṯōw- yā·yin ū·lə·rō·wz·nîm ʾō šê·ḵār — WLC · 4
5
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed… of justice.
𐤐𐤍 𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤌𐤇𐤒𐤒 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤃𐤉𐤍
פֶּן־ יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּה כָּל־ בְּנֵי־ עֹֽנִי׃ דִּ֣ין pen- yiš·teh wə·yiš·kaḥ mə·ḥuq·qāq wî·šan·neh kāl- bə·nê- ‘ō·nî dîn — WLC · 5
6
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤔𐤊𐤓 𐤋𐤀𐤅𐤁𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤉 𐤍𐤐𐤔
תְּנוּ־ שֵׁכָ֣ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ tə·nū- šê·ḵār lə·’ō·w·ḇêḏ wə·ya·yin lə·mā·rê nā·p̄eš — WLC · 6
7
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
𐤉𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤓𐤉𐤔𐤅 𐤉𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤋𐤅 𐤋𐤀 𐤏𐤅𐤃
יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ יִזְכָּר־ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א עֽוֹד׃ yiš·teh wə·yiš·kaḥ rî·šōw yiz·kār- wa·‘ă·mā·lōw lō ‘ō·wḏ — WLC · 7
8
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed…
𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤋𐤀𐤋𐤌 𐤀𐤋 𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤇𐤋𐤅𐤐
פְּתַח־ פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־ דִּ֝֗ין כָּל־ בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃ pə·ṯaḥ- pî·ḵā lə·’il·lêm ’el- dîn kāl- bə·nê ḥă·lō·wp̄ — WLC · 8
9
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
𐤐𐤕𐤇 𐤐𐤉𐤊 𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤑𐤃𐤒 𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤅𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤐
פְּתַח־ פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפָט־ צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃פ pə·ṯaḥ- pî·ḵā šə·p̄āṭ- ṣe·ḏeq wə·ḏîn ‘ā·nî wə·’eḇ·yō·wn — WLC · 9
The Virtues of a Noble Woman
10
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
𐤀𐤔𐤕 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤌𐤑𐤀 𐤅𐤓𐤇𐤒 𐤌𐤊𐤓𐤄 𐤌𐤐𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤌
אֵֽשֶׁת־ חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִכְרָֽהּ׃ מִפְּנִינִ֣ים ’ê·šeṯ- ḥa·yil mî yim·ṣā wə·rā·ḥōq miḵ·rāh mip·pə·nî·nîm — WLC · 10
11
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
𐤋𐤁 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤁𐤈𐤇 𐤁𐤄 𐤉𐤇𐤎𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤅𐤔𐤋𐤋
לֵ֣ב בַּעְלָ֑הּ בָּ֣טַח בָּ֭הּ יֶחְסָֽר׃ לֹ֣א וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל lêḇ ba‘·lāh bā·ṭaḥ bāh yeḥ·sār lō wə·šā·lāl — WLC · 11
12
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
𐤂𐤌𐤋𐤕𐤄𐤅 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤏 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤌𐤉 𐤇𐤉𐤉𐤄
גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ ט֣וֹב וְלֹא־ רָ֑ע כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיה׃ gə·mā·laṯ·hū ṭō·wḇ wə·lō- rā‘ kōl yə·mê ḥay·yɛh — WLC · 12
13
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
𐤃𐤓𐤔𐤄 𐤑𐤌𐤓 𐤅𐤐𐤔𐤕𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤕𐤏𐤔 𐤁𐤇𐤐𐤑 𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤄
דָּ֭רְשָׁה צֶ֣מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ בְּחֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃ dā·rə·šāh ṣe·mer ū·p̄iš·tîm wat·ta·‘aś bə·ḥê·p̄eṣ kap·pe·hā — WLC · 13
14
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
𐤄𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤎𐤅𐤇𐤓 𐤊𐤀𐤍𐤉𐤅𐤕 𐤕𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤋𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤌𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤒
הָ֭יְתָה סוֹחֵ֑ר כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃ מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק hā·yə·ṯāh sō·w·ḥêr kā·’o·nî·yō·wṯ tā·ḇî laḥ·māh mim·mer·ḥāq — WLC · 14
15
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤌 𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤕𐤍 𐤈𐤓𐤐 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤍𐤏𐤓𐤕𐤉𐤄
וַתָּ֤קָם׀ בְּע֬וֹד לַ֗יְלָה וַתִּתֵּ֣ן טֶ֣רֶף לְבֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝חֹ֗ק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃ wat·tā·qām bə·‘ō·wḏ lay·lāh wat·tit·tên ṭe·rep̄ lə·ḇê·ṯāh wə·ḥōq lə·na·‘ă·rō·ṯe·hā — WLC · 15
16
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings… she plants a vineyard.
𐤆𐤌𐤌𐤄 𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤒𐤇𐤄𐤅 𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤉 𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤄 𐤍𐤈𐤏 𐤊𐤓𐤌
זָמְמָ֣ה שָׂ֭דֶה וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ מִפְּרִ֥י כַ֝פֶּ֗יהָ נְטַע כָּֽרֶם׃ zā·mə·māh śā·d̲eh wat·tiq·qā·ḥê·hū mip·pə·rî ḵap·pe·hā nə·ṭaʿ kā·rem — WLC · 16
17
She girds herself… with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
𐤇𐤂𐤓𐤄 𐤌𐤕𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤆 𐤆𐤓𐤏𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤀𐤌𐤑
חָֽגְרָ֣ה מָתְנֶ֑יהָ בְע֣וֹז זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ ḥā·ḡə·rāh mā·ṯə·ne·hā ḇə·‘ō·wz zə·rō·‘ō·w·ṯe·hā wat·tə·’am·mêṣ — WLC · 17
18
She sees that her gain [is] good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
𐤈𐤏𐤌𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤎𐤇𐤓𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤍𐤓𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤊𐤁𐤄 𐤁𐤋𐤉𐤋
טָ֭עֲמָה כִּי־ סַחְרָ֑הּ ט֣וֹב נֵרָֽהּ׃ לֹֽא־ יִכְבֶּ֖ה בַלַּיִל ṭā·‘ă·māh kî- saḥ·rāh ṭō·wḇ nê·rāh lō- yiḵ·beh ḇal·la·yil — WLC · 18
19
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤄 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤊𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤓 𐤕𐤌𐤊𐤅 𐤐𐤋𐤊 𐤅𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤄
שִׁלְּחָ֣ה יָ֭דֶיהָ בַכִּישׁ֑וֹר תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃ וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ šil·lə·ḥāh yā·ḏe·hā ḇak·kî·šō·wr tā·mə·ḵū p̄ā·leḵ wə·ḵap·pe·hā — WLC · 19
20
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤄 𐤊𐤐𐤄 𐤋𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤋𐤀𐤁𐤉𐤅𐤍
פָּרְשָׂ֣ה כַּ֭פָּהּ לֶעָנִ֑י שִׁלְּחָ֥ה וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ לָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ pā·rə·śāh kap·pāh le·‘ā·nî šil·lə·ḥāh wə·yā·ḏe·hā lā·’eḇ·yō·wn — WLC · 20
21
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for [they are] all… clothed in scarlet.
𐤌𐤔𐤋𐤂 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤀 𐤋𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤊𐤋 𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤋𐤁𐤔 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤌
מִשָּׁ֑לֶג לֹא־ תִירָ֣א לְבֵיתָ֣הּ כִּ֥י כָל־ בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּ לָבֻ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ miš·šā·leḡ lō- ṯî·rā lə·ḇê·ṯāh kî ḵāl bê·ṯāh lā·ḇuš šā·nîm — WLC · 21
22
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤓𐤁𐤃𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤁𐤅𐤔𐤄 𐤔𐤔 𐤅𐤀𐤓𐤂𐤌𐤍
עָֽשְׂתָה־ לָּ֑הּ מַרְבַדִּ֥ים לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ שֵׁ֖שׁ וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן ‘ā·śə·ṯāh- lāh mar·ḇad·dîm lə·ḇū·šāh šêš wə·’ar·gā·mān — WLC · 22
23
Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤍𐤅𐤃𐤏 𐤁𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤔𐤁𐤕𐤅 𐤏𐤌 𐤆𐤒𐤍𐤉 𐤀𐤓𐤑
בַּעְלָ֑הּ נוֹדָ֣ע בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים בְּ֝שִׁבְתּ֗וֹ עִם־ זִקְנֵי־ אָֽרֶץ׃ ba‘·lāh nō·w·ḏā‘ baš·šə·‘ā·rîm bə·šiḇ·tōw ‘im- ziq·nê- ’ā·reṣ — WLC · 23
24
She makes linen garments and sells [them]; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤄 𐤎𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤊𐤓 𐤍𐤕𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤇𐤂𐤅𐤓 𐤋𐤊𐤍𐤏𐤍𐤉
עָ֭שְׂתָה סָדִ֣ין וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר נָתְנָ֥ה וַ֝חֲג֗וֹר לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ ‘ā·śə·ṯāh sā·ḏîn wat·tim·kōr nā·ṯə·nāh wa·ḥă·ḡō·wr lak·kə·na·‘ă·nî — WLC · 24
25
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
𐤏𐤆 𐤅𐤄𐤃𐤓 𐤋𐤁𐤅𐤔𐤄 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤇𐤒 𐤋𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤀𐤇𐤓𐤅𐤍
עֹז־ וְהָדָ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְי֣וֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ ‘ōz- wə·hā·ḏār lə·ḇū·šāh wat·tiś·ḥaq lə·yō·wm ’a·ḥă·rō·wn — WLC · 25
26
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
𐤐𐤕𐤇𐤄 𐤐𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤇𐤊𐤌𐤄 𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤋𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤄
פָּתְחָ֣ה פִּ֭יהָ בְחָכְמָ֑ה חֶ֝֗סֶד וְתֽוֹרַת־ עַל־ לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ pā·ṯə·ḥāh pî·hā ḇə·ḥā·ḵə·māh ḥe·seḏ wə·ṯō·w·raṯ- ‘al- lə·šō·w·nāh — WLC · 26
27
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
𐤑𐤅𐤐𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤊𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤉𐤕𐤄 𐤋𐤀 𐤕𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤅𐤋𐤇𐤌 𐤏𐤑𐤋𐤅𐤕
צ֭וֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכ֣וֹת בֵּיתָ֑הּ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל׃ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת ṣō·w·p̄î·yāh hă·lî·ḵō·wṯ bê·ṯāh lō ṯō·ḵêl wə·le·ḥem ‘aṣ·lūṯ — WLC · 27
28
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤒𐤌𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤔𐤓𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤋𐤄
בָ֭נֶיהָ קָ֣מוּ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃ ḇā·ne·hā qā·mū way·’aš·šə·rū·hā ba‘·lāh way·ha·lə·lå̄h — WLC · 28
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“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
𐤓𐤁𐤅𐤕 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤔𐤅 𐤇𐤉𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤕 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤋𐤍𐤄
רַבּ֣וֹת בָּ֭נוֹת עָ֣שׂוּ חָ֑יִל וְ֝אַ֗תְּ עָלִ֥ית עַל־ כֻּלָּֽנָה׃ rab·bō·wṯ bā·nō·wṯ ‘ā·śū ḥā·yil wə·’at ‘ā·lîṯ ‘al- kul·lā·nāh — WLC · 29
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Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
𐤄𐤇𐤍 𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤄𐤉𐤐𐤉 𐤅𐤄𐤁𐤋 𐤀𐤔𐤄 𐤉𐤓𐤀𐤕 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤄𐤉𐤀 𐤕𐤕𐤄𐤋𐤋
הַ֭חֵן שֶׁ֣קֶר הַיֹּ֑פִי וְהֶ֣בֶל אִשָּׁ֥ה יִרְאַת־ יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃ ha·ḥên še·qer hay·yō·p̄î wə·he·ḇel ’iš·šāh yir·’aṯ- Yah·weh hî ṯiṯ·hal·lāl — WLC · 30
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Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
𐤕𐤍𐤅 𐤋𐤄 𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤉 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤏𐤔𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤄𐤋𐤋𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤔𐤏𐤓𐤉𐤌
תְּנוּ־ לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ וִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים tə·nū- lāh mip·pə·rî yā·ḏe·hā ma·‘ă·śe·hā wî·hal·lū·hā ḇaš·šə·‘ā·rîm — WLC · 31