利慕伊勒王的箴言

31 以下是利慕伊勒王的箴言,

    是他母亲给他的教诲:

我儿,我亲生的骨肉,
    我许愿得来的孩子啊,
    我该怎样教导你呢?
不要在女人身上耗废精力,
    不要迷恋那些能毁灭王的人。
利慕伊勒啊,
    君王不可喝酒,
    不可喝酒,
    首领不宜喝烈酒,
免得喝酒后忘记律例,
    不为困苦人伸张正义。
把烈酒给灭亡的人,
    把淡酒给忧伤的人,
让他们喝了忘掉贫穷,
    不再记得自己的痛苦。
要为不能自辩者说话,
    为一切不幸的人申冤。
你要发言,秉公审判,
    为贫穷困苦者主持公道。

贤德的妻子

10 谁能找到贤德之妻?
    她的价值远胜过珠宝。
11 她丈夫信赖她,
    什么也不缺乏。
12 她一生对丈夫有益无损。
13 她寻找羊毛和细麻,
    愉快地亲手做衣。
14 她好像商船,
    从远方运来粮食。
15 天未亮她就起床,
    为全家预备食物,
    分派女仆做家事。
16 她选中田地便买下来,
    亲手赚钱栽种葡萄园。
17 她精力充沛,
    双臂有力。
18 她深谙经营之道,
    她的灯彻夜不熄。
19 她手拿卷线杆,
    手握纺线锤。
20 她乐于周济穷人,
    伸手帮助困苦者。
21 她不因下雪而为家人担心,
    因为全家都穿着朱红暖衣。
22 她为自己缝制绣花毯,
    用细麻和紫布做衣服。
23 她丈夫在城门口与当地长老同坐,
    受人尊重。
24 她缝制细麻衣裳出售,
    又制作腰带卖给商人。
25 她充满力量和尊荣,
    她以笑颜迎接未来。
26 她说的话带着智慧,
    她的训言充满慈爱。
27 她料理一切家务,
    从不偷懒吃闲饭。
28 她的儿女肃立,
    为她祝福,
    她的丈夫也称赞她,
29 说:“世上贤德的女子很多,
    唯有你无与伦比。”
30 艳丽是虚假的,
    美貌是短暂的,
    唯有敬畏耶和华的女子配得称赞。
31 愿她享受自己的劳动成果,
    愿她的事迹使她在城门口受称赞。

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.

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

31 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, (A)son of my vows?
(B)Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways (C)to that which destroys kings.

(D)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
(E)Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all [a]the afflicted.
(F)Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.

(G)Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are [b]appointed to die.
Open your mouth, (H)judge righteously,
And (I)plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

10 (J)Who[c] can find a [d]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (K)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (L)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [e]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (M)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (N)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:5 Lit. sons of affliction
  2. Proverbs 31:8 Lit. sons of passing away
  3. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
  4. Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
  5. Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands