1 κρεισσων ανηρ ελεγχων ανδρος σκληροτραχηλου εξαπινης γαρ φλεγομενου αυτου ουκ εστιν ιασις | 1 The sayings of Lemuel king of Massa, taught him by his mother: |
2 εγκωμιαζομενων δικαιων ευφρανθησονται λαοι αρχοντων δε ασεβων στενουσιν ανδρες | 2 What, my son! What, son of my womb! What, son of my vows! |
3 ανδρος φιλουντος σοφιαν ευφραινεται πατηρ αυτου ος δε ποιμαινει πορνας απολει πλουτον | 3 Do not expend your energy on women nor your wealth on those who ruin kings. |
4 βασιλευς δικαιος ανιστησιν χωραν ανηρ δε παρανομος κατασκαπτει | 4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings the drinking of wine, not for princes the love of liquor, |
5 ος παρασκευαζεται επι προσωπον του εαυτου φιλου δικτυον περιβαλλει αυτο τοις εαυτου ποσιν | 5 for fear that in liquor they forget what they have decreed and pervert the course of justice against allthe poor. |
6 αμαρτανοντι ανδρι μεγαλη παγις δικαιος δε εν χαρα και εν ευφροσυνη εσται | 6 Procure strong drink for someone about to die, wine for him whose heart is heavy: |
7 επισταται δικαιος κρινειν πενιχροις ο δε ασεβης ου συνησει γνωσιν και πτωχω ουχ υπαρχει νους επιγνωμων | 7 let him drink and forget his misfortune, and remember his misery no more. |
8 ανδρες λοιμοι εξεκαυσαν πολιν σοφοι δε απεστρεψαν οργην | 8 Make your views heard, on behalf of the dumb, on behalf of al the unwanted; |
9 ανηρ σοφος κρινει εθνη ανηρ δε φαυλος οργιζομενος καταγελαται και ου καταπτησσει | 9 make your views heard, pronounce an upright verdict, defend the cause of the poor and the wretched. |
10 ανδρες αιματων μετοχοι μισησουσιν οσιον οι δε ευθεις εκζητησουσιν ψυχην αυτου | 10 The truly capable woman -- who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls. |
11 ολον τον θυμον αυτου εκφερει αφρων σοφος δε ταμιευεται κατα μερος | 11 Her husband's heart has confidence in her, from her he wil derive no little profit. |
12 βασιλεως υπακουοντος λογον αδικον παντες οι υπ' αυτον παρανομοι | 12 Advantage and not hurt she brings him al the days of her life. |
13 δανιστου και χρεοφειλετου αλληλοις συνελθοντων επισκοπην ποιειται αμφοτερων ο κυριος | 13 She selects wool and flax, she does her work with eager hands. |
14 βασιλεως εν αληθεια κρινοντος πτωχους ο θρονος αυτου εις μαρτυριον κατασταθησεται | 14 She is like those merchant vessels, bringing her food from far away. |
15 πληγαι και ελεγχοι διδοασιν σοφιαν παις δε πλανωμενος αισχυνει γονεις αυτου | 15 She gets up while it is stil dark giving her household their food, giving orders to her serving girls. |
16 πολλων οντων ασεβων πολλαι γινονται αμαρτιαι οι δε δικαιοι εκεινων πιπτοντων καταφοβοι γινονται | 16 She sets her mind on a field, then she buys it; with what her hands have earned she plants avineyard. |
17 παιδευε υιον σου και αναπαυσει σε και δωσει κοσμον τη ψυχη σου | 17 She puts her back into her work and shows how strong her arms can be. |
18 ου μη υπαρξη εξηγητης εθνει παρανομω ο δε φυλασσων τον νομον μακαριστος | 18 She knows that her affairs are going wel ; her lamp does not go out at night. |
19 λογοις ου παιδευθησεται οικετης σκληρος εαν γαρ και νοηση αλλ' ουχ υπακουσεται | 19 She sets her hands to the distaff, her fingers grasp the spindle. |
20 εαν ιδης ανδρα ταχυν εν λογοις γινωσκε οτι ελπιδα εχει μαλλον αφρων αυτου | 20 She holds out her hands to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy. |
21 ος κατασπαταλα εκ παιδος οικετης εσται εσχατον δε οδυνηθησεται εφ' εαυτω | 21 Snow may come, she has no fears for her household, with al her servants warmly clothed. |
22 ανηρ θυμωδης ορυσσει νεικος ανηρ δε οργιλος εξωρυξεν αμαρτιας | 22 She makes her own quilts, she is dressed in fine linen and purple. |
23 υβρις ανδρα ταπεινοι τους δε ταπεινοφρονας ερειδει δοξη κυριος | 23 Her husband is respected at the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land. |
24 ος μεριζεται κλεπτη μισει την εαυτου ψυχην εαν δε ορκου προτεθεντος ακουσαντες μη αναγγειλωσιν | 24 She weaves materials and sel s them, she supplies the merchant with sashes. |
25 φοβηθεντες και αισχυνθεντες ανθρωπους υπεσκελισθησαν ο δε πεποιθως επι κυριον ευφρανθησεται ασεβεια ανδρι διδωσιν σφαλμα ος δε πεποιθεν επι τω δεσποτη σωθησεται | 25 She is clothed in strength and dignity, she can laugh at the day to come. |
26 πολλοι θεραπευουσιν προσωπα ηγουμενων παρα δε κυριου γινεται το δικαιον ανδρι | 26 When she opens her mouth, she does so wisely; on her tongue is kindly instruction. |
27 βδελυγμα δικαιοις ανηρ αδικος βδελυγμα δε ανομω κατευθυνουσα οδος | 27 She keeps good watch on the conduct of her household, no bread of idleness for her. |
| 28 Her children stand up and proclaim her blessed, her husband, too, sings her praises: |
| 29 'Many women have done admirable things, but you surpass them all!' |
| 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty; the woman who fears Yahweh is the one to praise. |
| 31 Give her a share in what her hands have worked for, and let her works tel her praises at the citygates. |