Proverbs 31 מִשְׁלֵי
Hebrew · transliteration · JPS 1917
1דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃
divre lemu'el melekh massa asher-yisserattu immo
The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him.
2מַה־בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃
ma-beri uma-bar-bitni ume bar-nedaray
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?
3אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין׃
al-titten lannashim chelekha uderakhekha lamchot melakhin
Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים או [אֵ֣י] שֵׁכָֽר׃
al lamlakhim lemo'el al lamlakhim sheto-yayin uleroznim e shekhar
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: Nor for princes to say: ‘Where is strong drink?’
5פֶּן־יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּה דִּ֣ין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃
pen-yishte veyishkach mechukkak vishanne din kal-bene-oni
Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.
6תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֣ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃
tenu-shekhar leoved veyayin lemare nafesh
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul;
7יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכָּר־עֽוֹד׃
yishte veyishkach risho va'amalo lo yizkar-od
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃
petach-pikha le'illem el-din kal-bene chalof
Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפָט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
petach-pikha shefat-tzedek vedin ani ve'evyon
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃
eshet-chayil mi yimtza verachok mippeninim mikhrah
A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies.
11בָּ֣טַח בָּ֭הּ לֵ֣ב בַּעְלָ֑הּ וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל לֹ֣א יֶחְסָֽר׃
batach bah lev ba'lah veshalal lo yechsar
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain.
12גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ ט֣וֹב וְלֹא־רָ֑ע כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיה׃
gemalathu tov velo-ra' kol yeme chayye
She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13דָּ֭רְשָׁה צֶ֣מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ בְּחֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃
darsha tzemer ufishtim vatta'as bechefetz kappeha
She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14הָ֭יְתָה כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת סוֹחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃
hayta ka'oniyyot socher mimmerchak tavi lachmah
She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15וַתָּ֤קָם ׀ בְּע֬וֹד לַ֗יְלָה וַתִּתֵּ֣ן טֶ֣רֶף לְבֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝חֹ֗ק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃
vattakam be'od layla vattitten teref levetah vechok lena'aroteha
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16זָמְמָ֣ה שָׂ֭דֶה וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ מִפְּרִ֥י כַ֝פֶּ֗יהָ נטע [נָ֣טְעָה] כָּֽרֶם׃
zamma sade vattikkachehu mipperi khappeha nat'a karem
She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17חָֽגְרָ֣ה בְע֣וֹז מָתְנֶ֑יהָ וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
chagra ve'oz matneha vatte'ammetz zero'oteha
She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.
18טָ֭עֲמָה כִּי־ט֣וֹב סַחְרָ֑הּ לֹֽא־יִכְבֶּ֖ה בליל [בַלַּ֣יְלָה] נֵרָֽהּ׃
ta'ama ki-tov sachrah lo-yikhbe vallayla nerah
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goeth not out by night.
19יָ֭דֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָ֣ה בַכִּישׁ֑וֹר וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃
yadeha shillecha vakkishor vekhappeha tamkhu falekh
She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.
20כַּ֭פָּהּ פָּרְשָׂ֣ה לֶעָנִ֑י וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ שִׁלְּחָ֥ה לָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
kappah parsa le'ani veyadeha shillecha la'evyon
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21לֹא־תִירָ֣א לְבֵיתָ֣הּ מִשָּׁ֑לֶג כִּ֥י כָל־בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּ לָבֻ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
lo-tira levetah mishaleg ki khal-betah lavush shanim
She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22מַרְבַדִּ֥ים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּ֑הּ שֵׁ֖שׁ וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃
marvaddim asta-lah shesh ve'argaman levushah
She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23נוֹדָ֣ע בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים בַּעְלָ֑הּ בְּ֝שִׁבְתּ֗וֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
noda' bashe'arim ba'lah beshivto im-zikne-aretz
Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24סָדִ֣ין עָ֭שְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר וַ֝חֲג֗וֹר נָתְנָ֥ה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃
sadin asta vattimkor vachagor natna lakkena'ani
She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25עֹז־וְהָדָ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְי֣וֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃
oz-vehadar levushah vattischak leyom acharon
Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.
26פִּ֭יהָ פָּתְחָ֣ה בְחָכְמָ֑ה וְתֽוֹרַת־חֶ֝֗סֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃
piha patcha vechakhma vetorat-chesed al-leshonah
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
27צ֭וֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכ֣וֹת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל׃
tzofiyya halikhot betah velechem atzlut lo tokhel
She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.
28קָ֣מוּ בָ֭נֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃
kamu vaneha vay'asheruha ba'lah vayhallah
Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her:
29רַבּ֣וֹת בָּ֭נוֹת עָ֣שׂוּ חָ֑יִל וְ֝אַ֗תְּ עָלִ֥ית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃
rabbot banot asu chayil ve'att alit al-kullana
’Many daughters have done valiantly, But thou excellest them all.’
30שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭חֵן וְהֶ֣בֶל הַיֹּ֑פִי אִשָּׁ֥ה יִרְאַת־יְ֝הוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃
sheker hachen vehevel hayyofi isha yir'at-ADONAI hi tithallal
Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31תְּנוּ־לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ וִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים מַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃
tenu-lah mipperi yadeha vihalluha vashe'arim ma'aseha
Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates.
Sister sites
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (ketiv shown with the qere in brackets). JPS 1917 and the Hebrew use Hebrew verse numbers; the English column uses English numbering, which sometimes differs by a verse.