1 T he words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

هَذِهِ أقوالُ المَلِكِ لَمُوئِيلَ، مَلِكِ مَسّا، وَهِيَ أقوالٌ عَلَّمَتْهُ إيّاها أُمُّهُ.

2 W hat, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

لا يا بُنَيَّ، لا يا ابْنَ أحشائِي، لا يا ابْنَ نُذُورِي.

3 G ive not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

لا تُبَدِّدْ قُوَّتَكَ عَلَى النِّساءِ، لا تُعطِ مَجالاً لِمَنْ يُدَمِّرْنَ مُلُوكاً.

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

لَيسَ جَيِّداً يا لَمُوئِيلُ، لِلمُلُوكِ وَالحُكّامِ أنْ يَشرَبُوا الخَمْرَ وَالمُسكِراتِ.

5 l est they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

وَإلّا فَإنَّهُ سَيَشرَبُ وَيَنسَى القَوانِينَ، وَيَسلِبُ الفُقَراءَ حُقُوقَهُمْ.

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

أعطِ الخَمرَ لِلهالِكِينَ، وَلِلَّذِينَ فِي مَرارَةِ التَّعاسَةِ.

7 L et him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

يَشرَبُونَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنسَوْنَ شَقائَهُمْ، وَلا يَتَذَكَّرُونَ تَعاسَتَهُمْ.

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

دافِعْ عَمَّنْ لا يَستَطِيعُونَ الدِّفاعَ عَنْ أنفُسِهِمْ، وَعَنْ حُقُوقِ جَمِيعِ العاجِزِيِنَ.

9 O pen thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

تَكَلَّمْ وَاحكُمْ بِالعَدلِ، وَدافِعْ عَنْ حُقُوقِ الفُقَراءِ وَالمساكِينِ. الزَّوجَةُ الصّالِحَة

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

مَنْ يَجِدُ الزَّوجَةَ الصّالِحَةَ؟ فَهِيَ أثمَنُ مِنْ الأحْجارِ الكَرِيمَةِ.

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

قَلبُ زَوجِها يَثِقُ بِها، وَلا يَنقُصُهُ الخَيرُ أبَداً.

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

تُعطِيهِ الخَيرَ وَلا تُسَبِّبُ لَهُ المَشاكِلَ كُلَّ أيّامِ حَياتِها.

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

وَهِيَ تَجمَعُ الصُّوفَ وَالكِتّانَ وَتَستَمتِعُ بِالعَمَلِ بِيَدَيها.

14 S he is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

وَهِيَ تُشبِهُ السُّفُنَ التِّجارِيَّةَ الَّتِي تُحضِرُ الطَّعامَ مِنْ أماكِنَ بَعِيدَةٍ.

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

تَستَيقِظُ مُبَكِّرَةً لِتُجَهِّزَ الطَّعامَ لِعائِلَتِها، وَتُعْطِي خادِماتِها حِصَصَهُنَّ.

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

تَرَى حَقلاً يُعجِبُها فَتَشتَرِيهِ، وَتَزرَعُ كَرماً مِمّا تَرْبَحُهُ.

17 S he girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

تَبْدَأُ عَمَلَها بِنَشاطٍ وَجِدٍّ وَيَداها قَوِيَّتانِ.

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

تَعلَمُ أنَّ تِجارَتَها مُربِحَةٌ، لِأنَّها تَعمَلُ حَتَّى وَقْتٍ مُتَأخِّرٍ.

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

تَغْزِلُ الخَيُوطَ بِيَدَيها، وَتَنْسِجُ الثِّيابَ.

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

تُعطِي بِسَخاءٍ لِلفُقَراءَ، وَتَمُدُّ يَدَيها لِمَعُونَةِ المُحتاجِينَ.

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

لا تَخافُ عَلَى أهلِ بَيتِها فِي الشِّتاءِ عِنْدَ سُقُوطِ الثَّلجِ، لِأنَّ أهلَ بَيتِها يَلبِسُونَ ثِياباً دافِئَةً.

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

تَصْنَع لِنَفْسِها أغطيةً مُزَخْرَفَةً، وَتَلْبَسُ ثِياباً مَصْنُوعَةً مِنَ الكِتّانِ وَالأُرْجُوانِ.

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

يُحتَرَمُ زَوْجُها عِنْدَ ألأبْوابِ، حَيثُ يَجلِسُ مَعَ قادَةِ المَدينَةِ.

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

تَصْنَعُ ثِياباً وَأحْزِمَةً وَتَبِيعُها للتُّجّارِ.

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

يَمْتَدِحُها النّاسُ وَيَحْتَرِمُونَها، وَلا تَقلَقُ عَلَى الأيّامِ القادِمَةِ.

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

تَتَكلَّمُ بِالحِكْمَةِ، وَتَنْطِقُ بِتَعلِيمٍ أمِينٍ مَلِيءٍ بِالمَحَبَّةِ وَاللُّطْفِ وَالأمانَةِ.

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

تُراقِبُ شُؤونَ بَيْتِها، وَلا تَأكُلُ طَعاماً لَمْ تَتعَبْ فِي إعدادِهِ.

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

يَقُومُ أولادُها وَيُهَنِّئونَها، وَزَوْجُها يَمْتَدِحُها.

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

كَثِيراتٌ يَعْمَلْنَ أعْمالاً عَظِيمَةً، وَلَكِنَّكِ تَفَوَّقْتِ عَلَيْهِنَّ جَمِيعاً.

30 F avour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

يُمْكِنُ للجَمالِ وَالحَلاوَةِ أنْ يَخْدَعاكَ، وَلَكِنَّ المَرْأةَ التِي تَخافُ اللهَ هِيَ التِي تُمْدَحُ.

31 G ive her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

كافِئُوها عَلَى ما عَمِلَتْ، فَأعْمالُها تَمْدَحُها وَسَطَ النّاسِ.