Proverbs 31
Christian Standard Bible
The Words of Lemuel
2 What should I say, my son?
What, son of my womb?(B)
What, son of my vows?
3 Don’t spend your energy(C) on women
or your efforts on those who destroy kings.(D)
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings(E) to drink wine(F)
or for rulers to desire beer.
5 Otherwise, he will drink,
forget what is decreed,(G)
and pervert justice for all the oppressed.[b](H)
6 Give beer to one who is dying
and wine to one whose life is bitter.(I)
7 Let him drink so that he can forget his poverty
and remember his trouble no more.(J)
8 Speak up[c] for those who have no voice,[d](K)
for the justice of all who are dispossessed.[e]
9 Speak up, judge righteously,(L)
and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy.(M)
In Praise of a Wife of Noble Character
10 Who can find a wife of noble character?[f](N)
She is far more precious than jewels.[g]
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.(O)
15 She rises while it is still night(P)
and provides food for her household
and portions[h] for her female servants.(Q)
16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.[i](R)
17 She draws on her strength[j]
and reveals that her arms are strong.(S)
18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.(T)
19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.(U)
20 Her hands reach[k] out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.(V)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.[l]
22 She makes her own bed coverings;(W)
her clothing is fine linen(X) and purple.(Y)
23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.(Z)
24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts[m] to the merchants.
25 Strength(AA) and honor are her clothing,(AB)
and she can laugh at the time to come.(AC)
26 Her mouth speaks wisdom,
and loving instruction[n] is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household(AD)
and is never idle.[o]
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[p] have done noble deeds,
but you surpass them all!” (AE)
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,(AF)
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor,[q]
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Footnotes
- 31:1 Or of Lemuel, king of Massa, or of King Lemuel, a burden
- 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
- 31:8 Lit Open your mouth, also in v. 9
- 31:8 Lit who are mute
- 31:8 Lit all the sons of passing away
- 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a capable wife
- 31:10 Vv. 10–31 form an acrostic.
- 31:15 Or tasks
- 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
- 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
- 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
- 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
- 31:24 Or sashes
- 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
- 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
- 31:29 Lit daughters
- 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands
Engero 31
Endagaano Enkadde nʼEndagaano Empya
Okulabula ku Kunywa Ekitamiiza
31 (A)Ebigambo bya kabaka Lemweri bye yayogera, nnyina bye yamuyigiriza.
2 (B)Ggwe mutabani wange, ggwe mutabani w’enda yange,
ggwe mutabani w’obweyamo bwange.
3 (C)Tomaliranga maanyi go ku bakazi,[a]
newaakubadde amaanyi go ku abo abazikiriza bakabaka.
4 (D)Ggwe Lemweri, si kya bakabaka,
si kya bakabaka okunywanga omwenge,
so si kya balangira okwegombanga omwenge,
5 (E)si kulwa nga bagunywa ne beerabira amateeka,
ne batalamula mu bwenkanya abantu baabwe abatulugunyizibwa.
6 (F)Ekitamiiza mukiwenga oyo ayagala okufa,
n’omwenge oyo alina emmeeme eriko obuyinike.
7 (G)Mumuleke anywenga yeerabire obwavu bwe,
alemenga kujjukira nate buyinike bwe.
8 (H)Yogereranga abo abatasobola kweyogerera,
otunulenga mu nsonga z’abo bonna abaasigala ettayo.
9 (I)Yogera olamulenga n’obwenkanya,
olwanirirenga abaavu n’abali mu bwetaavu.
Omukazi ow’Amagezi
10 (J)Omukazi omwegendereza ani ayinza okumulaba?
Wa muwendo nnyo okusinga amayinja ag’omuwendo ennyo.
11 (K)Bba amwesiga n’omutima gwe gwonna,
era bba talina kyonna kya muwendo ky’abulwa.
12 Aleetera bba essanyu so tamukola kabi,
obulamu bwe bwonna.
13 (L)Anoonya ebyoya by’endiga n’anoonya ne ppamba,
n’akola emirimu gye mu ssanyu eritayogerekeka.
14 Ali ng’ebyombo by’abasuubuzi,
aleeta emmere okuva mu nsi ezeewala.
15 Agolokoka tebunnakya,
n’awa ab’omu nnyumba ye ebyokulya,
n’agabira abaweereza be abawala be abaweereza emirimu egy’okukola.
16 Alowooza ku nnimiro n’agigula;
asimba ennimiro ey’emizabbibu n’ebibala by’emikono gye.
17 Omukazi oyo akola n’amaanyi omulimu gwe,
emikono gye gikwata n’amaanyi emirimu gye.
18 Ayiiya ebyamaguzi ebirimu amagoba n’abisuubula,
era n’ettabaaza ye ekiro tezikira.
19 Anyweza omuti oguluka ppamba mu mukono gwe,
engalo ze ne zikwata akati akalanga.
20 (M)Ayanjululiza abaavu omukono gwe,
n’agololera omukono gwe oyo ali mu bwetaavu.
21 Mu biseera by’obutiti taba na kutya,
kubanga ab’omu nnyumba ye bonna baba n’engoye ez’okwambala.
22 Yeekolera ebibikka obuliri bwe,
era engoye ze za linena omulungi, za ffulungu.[b]
23 (N)Bba amanyibbwa,
y’omu ku bakulu abakulembera ensi, era ateeseza mu nkiiko enkulu.
24 Omukazi atunga ebyambalo ebya linena n’abitunda,
n’aguza abasuubuzi enkoba.
25 Amaanyi n’ekitiibwa bye byambalo bye,
era tatya ebiro ebigenda okujja.
26 (O)Ayogera n’amagezi,
era ayigiriza ebyekisa.
27 Alabirira nnyo empisa z’ab’omu nnyumba ye,
era talya mmere ya bugayaavu.
28 Abaana be bagolokoka ne bamuyita wa mukisa,
ne bba n’amutendereza ng’ayogera nti,
29 “Abakazi bangi abakola eby’ekitiibwa
naye bonna ggwe obasinga.”
30 Obubalagavu bulimba n’endabika ennungi teriiko kyegasa,
naye omukazi atya Mukama anaatenderezebwanga.
31 (P)Mumusasule empeera gy’akoleredde,
n’emirimu gye gimuweesenga ettendo ku miryango gy’ekibuga.
Proverbs 31
New Catholic Bible
The Sayings of Lemuel[a]
Chapter 31
A Splendid Program for a King
1 These are the words of Lemuel, king of Massa, which were taught to him by his mother:[b]
2 O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows!
3 Do not surrender your vigor to women
or consort with those who cause the ruin of kings.[c]
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
not for kings to drink wine,
not for princes to crave strong liquor,[d]
5 lest in their stupor they forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of those who are in distress.
6 Give strong drink to someone about to die,
wine to someone in anguish.
7 Let him drink and forget his misfortune
and no longer remember his misery.
8 [e]Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves,
and defend the rights of the destitute.
9 Speak out and pronounce righteous judgments;
defend the rights of the wretched and the poor.
In Praise of the Valiant Woman or the Perfect Homemaker[f]
10 Who can find a worthy wife?
She is far more precious than pearls.
11 Her husband entrusts his heart to her,
for in her he has an unfailing blessing.
12 She works to give him good and not evil
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with skillful hands.
14 She is like merchant ships,
accumulating a store of food from far off.
15 She rises while it is still dark[g]
and apportions food for her household
while assigning tasks to her servant girls.
16 She carefully chooses a field to purchase,
and out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.[h]
17 She girds herself to work
and plies her arms with vigor.
18 She ensures that her dealings are profitable;[i]
her lamp remains undimmed throughout the night.
19 She sets her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers grasp the spindle.[j]
20 She holds out her hands to the poor[k]
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 When snow arrives, she has no fear for her household,
for all of her servants are warmly clothed.
22 She makes her own bed quilts
and wears fine clothes of linen[l] and purple.
23 Her husband is well respected at the city gates
as he takes his seat with the elders of the land.
24 She weaves linen garments and sells them,
and she supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she can afford to laugh at the days to come.[m]
26 When she opens her mouth, wisdom issues forth,
and on her tongue is kindly advice.[n]
27 She keeps close watch on the conduct of her household,
and she does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children stand up and proclaim her blessed,[o]
and her husband joins them in praising her:
29 “Many are the women who have done admirable things,[p]
but you outdo them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive[q] and beauty is fleeting,
but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her a share in what her hands have accomplished,[r]
and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:1 Lemuel is the unknown (and possibly legendary and imaginary) leader of a foreign tribe. The fact that words of wisdom are attributed to him proves that wisdom is found everywhere.
More than other people, kings are exposed to the danger of loose women and drunkenness. A prince who is sober and vigilant, humane and just, is the ideal of the desert chiefs. He is set against the fake refinement of overly civil princes. - Proverbs 31:1 His mother: the queen mother had great influence (see 1 Ki 1:11-13; 15:13). The whole chapter brings out the huge role played by wise women in society.
- Proverbs 31:3 A warning against sexual misconduct (see Prov 5:9-11; 1 Ki 11:1; Neh 13:26).
- Proverbs 31:4 A warning against drunkenness (see note on Prov 20:16; see also Eccl 10:16-17; Hos 7:5).
- Proverbs 31:8 As the defender of the poor, the king is a representative of God (see Prov 16:10; Job 29:12-17; Ps 82:3; Isa 1:17).
- Proverbs 31:10 The entire family gathers together to heap praise on the mistress of the home. The husband, a considerate man, devotes himself to his public life. Without fear he can leave to his wife the care of directing the household, providing for domesticity, taking care of the marketing, the fields, and the vine. This golden woman joins to her practical qualities and her sense of work a discreet and communicative piety, the gift of education, the efficacious foresight for all, and attentiveness to the poor. These are natural (but nonetheless attractive) qualities for her. She deserves to be celebrated.
This short poem is better known under the title “Praise of a Strong Woman.” Each verse has two parallel members and begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; there are as many verses as there are letters in that alphabet. The passage has therefore been carefully and artfully composed; there is nothing improvised about it. But in the person of the virtuous woman it is ultimately Wisdom herself that is extolled. Wisdom, a profound force in a people, was presented to us at the beginning of the Book as a person who actively intervenes in the human world; the end of the Book harks back to the beginning. The picture drawn is meant to leave us with an attractive ideal of life. - Proverbs 31:15 She rises while it is still dark: in this respect, she is the exact opposite of the idler (see Prov 6:9-10; 20:13).
- Proverbs 31:16 She carefully chooses a field to purchase, and . . . she plants a vineyard: she shows good judgment.
- Proverbs 31:18 Her dealings are profitable: like wisdom, she is “far more precious than pearls” (v. 10; see Prov 3:15; 8:11). Her lamp remains undimmed: a lighted lamp in a family is a sign of prosperity and life; an unlighted lamp is a sign of calamity and death (see Prov 13:9 and note; 20:20; 24:20; 1 Sam 3:3; Job 18:5; 21:17).
- Proverbs 31:19 Distaff . . . spindle: she takes care of work that was assigned to women at the time.
- Proverbs 31:20 She holds out her hands to the poor: see Prov 14:21; 22:9; Job 31:16-20.
- Proverbs 31:22 Fine clothes of linen: a sign of nobility (see Prov 7:16; Gen 41:42). Purple: a sign of royalty (see Jdg 8:26; Song 3:10) or wealth (see Lk 16:19; Rev 18:16).
- Proverbs 31:25 She can afford to laugh at the days to come: i.e., she is without anxiety or worry (see Job 39:7).
- Proverbs 31:26 She dispenses wisdom and good advice (see Prov 1:8; 6:20).
- Proverbs 31:28 Blessed: the happy state of life in fellowship with God, revering him and obeying his laws (see Prov 3:13; 8:34; 28:20; 29:18; Pss 72:17; 94:12; 112:1; 119:1f; 128:1).
- Proverbs 31:29 Many . . . have done admirable things: see Isa 32:20.
- Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive: see Prov 5:3. Beauty is fleeting: see Job 14:2; 1 Pet 3:3-5. Who fears the Lord: see note on Prov 1:7.
- Proverbs 31:31 Share in what her hands have accomplished: see Prov 12:14. Bring her praise: because of her “humility and fear of the Lord” (Prov 22:4).
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