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給君王的忠告

31 瑪撒利慕伊勒的言語,就是他母親教導他的[a]

我兒,怎麼了?
我腹中生的兒,怎麼了?
我許願而得的兒,怎麼了?
不要將你的精力給婦女,
也不要有敗壞君王的行為。
利慕伊勒啊,君王不宜,君王不宜喝酒,
王子尋找烈酒也不相宜;
恐怕喝了就忘記所頒的法令,
顛倒所有困苦人的是非。
可以把烈酒給將亡的人喝,
把酒給心裏愁苦的人喝,
讓他喝了,就忘記他的貧窮,
不再記得他的苦楚。
你當為不能自辯的人[b]開口,
為所有孤獨無助者伸冤。
你當開口按公義判斷,
當為困苦和貧窮的人辯護。

論賢妻

10 [c]才德的婦人誰能得着呢?
她的價值遠勝過寶石。
11 她丈夫心裏信賴她,
必不缺少利益;
12 她終其一生,
使丈夫有益無損。
13 她尋找羊毛和麻,
歡喜用手做工。
14 她好像商船,
從遠方運來糧食,
15 未到黎明她就起來,
把食物分給家中的人,
將當做的工分派女僕。
16 她想得田地,就去買來,
用手中的成果栽葡萄園。
17 她以能力束腰,
使膀臂有力。
18 她覺得自己獲利不錯,
她的燈終夜不滅。
19 她伸手拿捲線桿,
她的手掌把住紡車。
20 她張手賙濟困苦人,
伸手幫助貧窮人。
21 她不因下雪為家裏的人擔心,
因為全家都穿上朱紅衣服。
22 她為自己製作被單,
她的衣服是細麻和紫色布做的。
23 她丈夫在城門口與本地的長老同坐,
為人所認識。
24 她做細麻布衣裳來賣,
又將腰帶賣給商家。
25 能力和威儀是她的衣服,
她想到日後的景況就喜笑。
26 她開口就發智慧,
她舌上有仁慈的教誨。
27 她管理家務,
並不吃閒飯。
28 她的兒女起來稱她有福,
她的丈夫也稱讚她:
29 「才德的女子很多,
惟獨你超過一切。」
30 魅力是虛假的,美貌是虛浮的;
惟敬畏耶和華的婦女必得稱讚。
31 她手中的成果你們要賞給她,
願她的工作在城門口榮耀她。

Footnotes

  1. 31.1 「瑪撒王…他的」或譯「利慕伊勒王的言語,是他母親教導他的神諭」。
  2. 31.8 「不能自辯的人」或譯「啞巴」。
  3. 31.10 由本節開始,原文是字母詩。

Sayings of King Lemuel

31 The sayings(A) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
    Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!(B)
Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
    your vigor on those who ruin kings.(C)

It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,(D)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
lest they drink(E) and forget what has been decreed,(F)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine(G) for those who are in anguish!
Let them drink(H) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

Speak(I) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.(J)

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [b]A wife of noble character(K) who can find?(L)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(M) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.(N)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.(O)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.(P)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders(Q) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(R)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise(S) at the city gate.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.