1The words of king Lemu’el; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him.
2What, my son? And what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
3Give not your strength unto women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4It is not for kings, O Lemu’el, it is not for kings to drink wine: nor for princes to say, “Where is strong drink?”
5Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.
6Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter in soul;
7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8Open your mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10A woman of valor who can find? For her price is far above rubies.
11The heart of her husband does safely trust in her, and he has no lack of gain.
12She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands.
14She is like the merchant-ships; she brings her food from afar.
15She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16She considers a field, and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She girds her loins with strength, and makes strong her arms.
18She perceives that her merchandise is good; her lamp goes not out by night.
19She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20She stretches out her hand to the poor; yes, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22She makes for herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them; and delivers girdles unto the merchant.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laughs at the last day.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom; and the Torah of compassion is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many daughters have done valiantly, but you exceed them all.”
30Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that fears יהוה , she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates.
אדִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ.
במַה בְּרִי וּמַה בַּר בִּטְנִי; וּמֶה בַּר נְדָרָי.
גאַל תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ; וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַמְחוֹת מְלָכִין.
דאַל לַמְלָכִים לְמוֹאֵל אַל לַמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ יָיִן; וּלְרוֹזְנִים או (אֵי) שֵׁכָר.
הפֶּן יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק; וִישַׁנֶּה דִּין כָּל בְּנֵי עֹנִי.
ותְּנוּ שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד; וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ.
זיִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ; וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכָּר עוֹד.
חפְּתַח פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם; אֶל דִּין כָּל בְּנֵי חֲלוֹף.
טפְּתַח פִּיךָ שְׁפָט צֶדֶק; וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן.
יאֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא; וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ.
יאבָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ; וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר.
יבגְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ.
יגדָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים; וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ.
ידהָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר; מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ.
טווַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ; וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ.
טזזָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ; מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נטע (נָטְעָה) כָּרֶם.
יזחָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ; וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶיהָ.
יחטָעֲמָה כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ; לֹא יִכְבֶּה בליל (בַלַּיְלָה) נֵרָהּ.
יטיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר; וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ.
ככַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי; וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן.
כאלֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג: כִּי כָל בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים.
כבמַרְבַדִּים עָשְׂתָה לָּהּ; שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ.
כגנוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ; בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ.
כדסָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר; וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי.
כהעֹז וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ; וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן.
כופִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה; וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ.
כזצוֹפִיָּה הילכות (הֲלִיכוֹת) בֵּיתָהּ; וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל.
כחקָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ; בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ.
כטרַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל; וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל כֻּלָּנָה.
לשֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי: אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת יהוה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל.
לאתְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ; וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ.