| 1 דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמֹּו | 1 The sayings of Lemuel king of Massa, taught him by his mother: |
| 2 מַה־בְּרִי וּמַה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָי | 2 What, my son! What, son of my womb! What, son of my vows! |
| 3 אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַמְחֹות מְלָכִין | 3 Do not expend your energy on women nor your wealth on those who ruin kings. |
| 4 אַל לַמְלָכִים ׀ לְמֹואֵל אַל לַמְלָכִים שְׁתֹו־יָיִן וּלְרֹוזְנִים [אֹו כ] (אֵי ק) שֵׁכָר | 4 Not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings the drinking of wine, not for princes the love of liquor, |
| 5 פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִישַׁנֶּה דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹנִי | 5 for fear that in liquor they forget what they have decreed and pervert the course of justice against allthe poor. |
| 6 תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאֹובֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ | 6 Procure strong drink for someone about to die, wine for him whose heart is heavy: |
| 7 יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישֹׁו וַעֲמָלֹו לֹא יִזְכָּר־עֹוד | 7 let him drink and forget his misfortune, and remember his misery no more. |
| 8 פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי חֲלֹוף | 8 Make your views heard, on behalf of the dumb, on behalf of al the unwanted; |
| 9 פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפָט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיֹון׃ פ | 9 make your views heard, pronounce an upright verdict, defend the cause of the poor and the wretched. |
| 10 אֵשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ | 10 The truly capable woman -- who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls. |
| 11 בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר | 11 Her husband's heart has confidence in her, from her he wil derive no little profit. |
| 12 גְּמָלַתְהוּ טֹוב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיה | 12 Advantage and not hurt she brings him al the days of her life. |
| 13 דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ | 13 She selects wool and flax, she does her work with eager hands. |
| 14 הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיֹּות סֹוחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ | 14 She is like those merchant vessels, bringing her food from far away. |
| 15 וַתָּקָם ׀ בְּעֹוד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ | 15 She gets up while it is stil dark giving her household their food, giving orders to her serving girls. |
| 16 זָמְמָה דֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ [נְטַע כ] (נָטְעָה ק) כָּרֶם | 16 She sets her mind on a field, then she buys it; with what her hands have earned she plants avineyard. |
| 17 חָגְרָה בְעֹוז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרֹעֹותֶיהָ | 17 She puts her back into her work and shows how strong her arms can be. |
| 18 טָעֲמָה כִּי־טֹוב סַחְרָהּ לֹא־יִכְבֶּה [בַלַּיִל כ] (בַלַּיְלָה ק) נֵרָהּ | 18 She knows that her affairs are going wel ; her lamp does not go out at night. |
| 19 יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישֹׁור וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ | 19 She sets her hands to the distaff, her fingers grasp the spindle. |
| 20 כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיֹון | 20 She holds out her hands to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy. |
| 21 לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים | 21 Snow may come, she has no fears for her household, with al her servants warmly clothed. |
| 22 מַרְבַדִּים עָשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ | 22 She makes her own quilts, she is dressed in fine linen and purple. |
| 23 נֹודָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתֹּו עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ | 23 Her husband is respected at the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land. |
| 24 סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגֹור נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי | 24 She weaves materials and sel s them, she supplies the merchant with sashes. |
| 25 עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיֹום אַחֲרֹון | 25 She is clothed in strength and dignity, she can laugh at the day to come. |
| 26 פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתֹורַת־חֶסֶד עַל־לְשֹׁונָהּ | 26 When she opens her mouth, she does so wisely; on her tongue is kindly instruction. |
| 27 צֹופִיָּה הֲלִיכֹות בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל | 27 She keeps good watch on the conduct of her household, no bread of idleness for her. |
| 28 קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ | 28 Her children stand up and proclaim her blessed, her husband, too, sings her praises: |
| 29 רַבֹּות בָּנֹות עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּנָה | 29 'Many women have done admirable things, but you surpass them all!' |
| 30 שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל | 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty; the woman who fears Yahweh is the one to praise. |
| 31 תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ | 31 Give her a share in what her hands have worked for, and let her works tel her praises at the citygates. |
