Proverbs 31
EasyEnglish Bible
Good advice to a king
31 These are the words that King Lemuel's mother said to him. It is an important message:[a]
2 Be careful, my dear son. God answered my prayers when I gave birth to you. Please listen carefully!
3 Do not chase after women and lose your strength. Women like that have destroyed kings.
4 Listen, Lemuel. Kings should not drink lots of wine. They should not want strong drink. 5 When kings drink alcohol, they forget to obey the law. They take away justice for helpless people.
6 Give strong drink to people who are dying. Give wine to people who are very upset. 7 Then they can forget how poor they are, or how sad they are.
8 Speak on behalf of people who cannot speak for themselves. Help helpless people to receive justice. 9 Speak clearly to help them. Judge people in a way that is fair and right. Help poor and helpless people to receive justice.
A poem about a good wife[b]
10 How difficult it is to find a wife who is truly wise! She is worth much more than valuable jewels.
11 Her husband trusts her to help him. He will have everything that he needs.
12 She does good things for him every day of her life. She never tries to hurt him.
13 She is happy to work with her own hands to make clothes with wool and linen.
14 She brings special food from far away, like a ship that travels across the sea.
15 She gets up while it is still night and she prepares food for her family. She also gives some to her female servants.
16 She looks carefully at a field, and she decides to buy it. She uses her own money to plant a vineyard.
17 She is strong and she always works hard.
18 She knows how to make money as she buys and sells things. Even at night, she is still working.
19 She knows how to make cloth.
20 She gives money to poor and helpless people.
21 All her family have warm clothes to wear. She is not afraid when cold weather comes.
22 She makes beautiful cloths to cover the beds. Her own clothes are made with valuable linen and purple cloth.
23 People in the city respect her husband. He meets with the other leaders at the city's gate.
24 She uses linen to make clothes and she sells them. She makes belts to sell to the traders.
25 She shows her strength and people respect her. She is not afraid of what will happen in the future.
26 When she speaks, she says wise words. She is kind as she teaches people what is right.
27 She always works hard and she takes care of her family.
28 Her children all agree to thank her. Her husband also praises her.
29 He says, ‘Many women are wise and they work well, but you are better than all of them.’
30 A woman may seem to be beautiful, but that can deceive people. Her body will not be beautiful for ever.
But a woman who respects the Lord with fear will receive honour.
31 Praise her for everything that she has done.
Everyone in the city should know about her, and they should praise her as she deserves.
Footnotes
- 31:1 Lemuel was not a king of Israel. But his name means ‘he belongs to God’.
- 31:10 This poem at the end of the Book of Proverbs tells us what it means to be really wise. It does not mean that you know everything. It means that you live in a good way that helps other people. Verses 10-31 are an alphabet poem. Each line starts with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet, starting with Aleph.
Proverbs 31
King James Version
31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 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.
Proverbes 31
Segond 21
Proverbes de Lemuel 31.1-31
Conseils d’une mère
31 Paroles du roi Lemuel. Message[a] par lequel sa mère l'a instruit.
2 Que te dirai-je, mon fils? Que te dirai-je, fils de mon ventre?
Que te dirai-je, fils de mes vœux?
3 Ne livre pas ta force aux femmes,
ni tes voies à celles qui causent la perte des rois!
4 Ce n'est pas aux rois, Lemuel,
ce n'est pas aux rois de boire du vin,
ni aux princes de rechercher des boissons fortes.
5 En effet, en buvant ils pourraient oublier les lois
et porter atteinte à la cause des plus malheureux.
6 Donnez des liqueurs fortes à celui qui va mourir,
du vin à celui qui est rempli d’amertume:
7 qu'il boive et oublie ainsi sa pauvreté,
qu'il ne se souvienne plus de sa peine.
8 Ouvre ta bouche pour celui qui ne peut pas s’exprimer,
pour la cause de tous les délaissés!
9 Ouvre ta bouche, juge avec justice
et défends le malheureux et le pauvre!
Une femme de valeur
10 Qui trouvera une femme de valeur?
Elle vaut bien plus que des perles.
11 Le cœur de son mari a confiance en elle, et c’est tout bénéfice pour lui.
12 Elle lui fait du bien, et non du mal,
tous les jours de sa vie.
13 Elle se procure de la laine et du lin
et travaille d'une main joyeuse.
14 Pareille à un navire marchand,
elle rapporte ses provisions de loin.
15 Elle se lève alors qu'il fait encore nuit,
et elle donne la nourriture à sa famille
et ses ordres à ses servantes.
16 Elle pense à un champ, et elle l'achète.
Avec le fruit de son travail elle plante une vigne.
17 Avec la force en guise de ceinture,
elle affermit ses bras.
18 Elle constate que ce qu'elle gagne est bon.
Sa lampe ne s'éteint pas pendant la nuit:
19 elle file elle-même la laine,
elle tisse elle-même les habits.
20 Elle ouvre ses bras au malheureux,
elle tend la main au pauvre.
21 Elle ne redoute pas la neige pour sa famille,
car chacun y est habillé de cramoisi.
22 Elle se fait des couvertures,
elle a des habits en fin lin et en pourpre.
23 Son mari est reconnu aux portes de la ville,
lorsqu'il siège avec les anciens du pays.
24 Elle fait des chemises et les vend,
et elle livre des ceintures au marchand.
25 La force et l'honneur, voilà ce qui l’habille.
Elle rit en pensant à l'avenir.
26 Elle ouvre la bouche avec sagesse
et un enseignement plein de bonté est sur sa langue.
27 Elle veille à la bonne marche de sa maison,
elle ne mange pas le pain de la paresse.
28 Ses fils se lèvent et la disent heureuse,
son mari aussi, et il chante ses louanges:
29 «Bien des femmes font preuve de valeur,
mais toi, tu leur es à toutes supérieure.»
30 La grâce est trompeuse et la beauté est illusoire;
c'est de la femme qui craint l'Eternel qu’on chantera les louanges.
31 Donnez-lui du fruit de son travail
et qu'aux portes de la ville ses œuvres fassent son éloge!
Footnotes
- Proverbes 31:1 Message: voir la note 30.1.
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Version Segond 21 Copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève