Proverbs 31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Teaching of King Lemuel’s Mother
31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:(A)
2 No, my son! No, son of my womb!
No, son of my vows!(B)
3 Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.(C)
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine
or for rulers to desire[a] strong drink,(D)
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing
and wine to those in bitter distress;
7 let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Speak out for those who cannot speak,
for the rights of all the destitute.[b](E)
9 Speak out; judge righteously;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.(F)
Ode to a Woman of Strength
10 A woman of strength who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.(G)
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 seeks wool and flax
and works with willing hands.(H)
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and tasks for her female servants.(I)
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself 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 opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.(J)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all her household are clothed in crimson.(K)
22 She makes herself coverings;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the city gates,
taking his seat among the elders of the land.(L)
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.(M)
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.(N)
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.(O)
28 Her children rise up and call her happy;
her husband, too, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”(P)
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(Q)
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Proverbi 31
La Nuova Diodati
31 Parole del re Lemuel, il messaggio profetico con cui sua madre lo ammaestrò.
2 Che ti dirò, figlio mio? Che ti dirò, figlio del mio grembo? Che ti dirò, figlio dei miei voti?
3 Non dare il tuo vigore alle donne né la tua vita a ciò che distrugge i re.
4 Non si addice ai re, o Lemuel, non si addice ai re bere vino né ai principi desiderare bevande inebrianti,
5 perché bevendo non dimentichino la legge e non distorcano il diritto di tutti gli afflitti.
6 Date bevande inebrianti a chi sta per perire, e del vino a chi ha il cuore amareggiato.
7 Beva per dimenticare la sua povertà e non ricordarsi piú dei suoi guai.
8 Apri la tua bocca in favore del muto in difesa di tutti i derelitti.
9 Apri la tua bocca, giudica con giustizia e difendi la causa del misero e del bisognoso.
10 Chi troverà una donna forte e virtuosa? Il suo valore è di gran lunga superiore alle perle.
11 Il cuore di suo marito confida in lei e avrà sempre dei guadagni.
12 Ella gli fa del bene e non del male, tutti i giorni della sua vita.
13 Si procura lana e lino e lavora con piacere con le proprie mani.
14 Ella è simile alle navi dei mercanti: fa venire il suo cibo da lontano.
15 Si alza quando è ancora notte per distribuire il cibo alla sua famiglia e dare ordini alle sue domestiche.
16 Ella guarda un campo e l'acquista; col frutto delle sue mani pianta una vigna.
17 Si cinge di forza i lombi, e irrobustisce le sue braccia.
18 Si rende conto che il suo commercio va bene, e la sua lampada di notte non si spegne.
19 Stende la sua mano alla conocchia e le sue palme impugnano il fuso.
20 Tende la sua mano al povero e porge le sue mani al bisognoso,
21 Non teme la neve per la sua famiglia, perché tutti quelli di casa hanno doppia veste.
22 Si fa delle coperte di arazzo e le sue vesti sono di lino finissimo e di porpora.
23 Suo marito è stimato alle porte, quando si siede fra gli anziani del paese.
24 Confeziona vesti di lino e le vende, e rifornisce i mercanti di cinture.
25 Forza e onore sono il suo vestito e ride dei giorni a venire.
26 Apre la sua bocca con sapienza e sulla sua lingua c'è la legge della bontà.
27 Ella sorveglia l'andamento della sua casa e non mangia il pane di pigrizia.
28 I suoi figli si levano e la proclamano beata; anche suo marito ne fa l'elogio, dicendo:
29 «Molte figlie hanno compiuto cose grandi, ma tu le sorpassi tutte quante».
30 La grazia è fallace e la bellezza è vana, ma la donna che teme l'Eterno, quella sarà lodata.
31 Datele del frutto delle sue mani, e le sue stesse opere la lodino alle porte.
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.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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