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贤母训子当秉公行义

31 利慕伊勒王的话,是 神的默示,

是他母亲教训他的:

“我儿,

我腹中生的儿啊!

我许愿所得的儿啊,我要对你说甚么呢?

不要把你的精力给妇女,

也不要有败坏君王的行为。

利慕伊勒啊!君王不可喝酒;

君王千万不可喝酒;

掌权的不可贪饮烈酒。

恐怕喝了酒,就忘记律例,

把困苦人的一切案件都颠倒了。

要把烈酒给将要灭亡的人喝;

把酒给心里愁苦的人喝;

让他喝了,就忘记自己的贫穷,

也不再记念自己的烦恼。

你要为不能自辩的人开口说话,

为所有贫苦的人伸冤。

你要开口说话,秉公审判,

为困苦和穷乏的人伸冤。”

敬畏耶和华的妇女

10 有才德的妻子,谁能得着呢?

她的价值远胜过红宝石。

11 她丈夫心里倚靠她,

就不会缺少收入。

12 她一生的年日,

只带给丈夫益处,没有害处。

13 她搜求羊毛和细麻,

乐意亲手作工。

14 她好象一队商船,

从远方运来食物。

15 天还未亮,她就起来,

把食物分给家人,

把当作的工分派众婢女。

16 她选择了一块田,就把它买下来,

用自己双手赚得的收入栽种葡萄园。

17 她以能力束腰,

使自己的膀臂有力。

18 她知道自己的经营获利,

她的灯终夜不灭。

19 她伸手拿着卷线竿,

手掌握着纺锤。

20 她张手赒济困苦人,

伸手帮助穷乏人。

21 她不因下雪为自己的家人担心,

因为她全家都穿著温暖的朱红色衣服。

22 她为自己做床毯,

她的衣服是细麻和紫色布料做的。

23 她丈夫与本地的长老在城门口同坐,

是众人都认识的。

24 她做细麻布衣服出售,

又供应腰带给商人。

25 她以能力和威仪为衣服,

想到日后的幸福就欢笑。

26 她开口就说出智慧的话;

她的舌头上充满慈爱的训诲。

27 她监管一切家务,

从不白吃闲饭。

28 她的儿女都起来称她是有福的,

她的丈夫也称赞她,说:

29 “有才德的女子很多,

但你比她们更超卓。”

30 艳丽是虚假的,美容是虚浮的;

唯有敬畏耶和华的妇女,必得称赞。

31 愿她享受自己手所作的成果;

愿她的工作在城门口使她受称赞。

The Words of King Lemuel

31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

What are you doing, my son?[a] What are you doing, (A)son of my womb?
    What are you doing, (B)son of my vows?
Do (C)not give your strength to women,
    your ways to those (D)who destroy kings.
(E)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
    it is not for kings (F)to drink wine,
    or for rulers to take (G)strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
    and (H)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who (I)is perishing,
    and wine to (J)those in bitter distress;[b]
(K)let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.
(L)Open your mouth for the mute,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.[c]
Open your mouth, (M)judge righteously,
    (N)defend the rights of (O)the poor and needy.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10 [d] (P)An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than (Q)jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She (R)seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15 She (S)rises while it is yet night
    and (T)provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She (U)dresses herself[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She (V)opens her hand to (W)the poor
    and reaches out her hands to (X)the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in (Y)scarlet.[f]
22 She makes (Z)bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is (AA)fine linen and (AB)purple.
23 Her husband is known in (AC)the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (AD)linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 (AE)Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to 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 (AF)women have done (AG)excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 (AH)Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?
  2. Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
  3. Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
  4. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
  5. Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
  6. Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness

31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:

Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth 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.

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.