1 ه َذِهِ أقوالُ المَلِكِ لَمُوئِيلَ، مَلِكِ مَسّا، وَهِيَ أقوالٌ عَلَّمَتْهُ إيّاها أُمُّهُ.

¶ The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy with which his mother taught him.

2 ل ا يا بُنَيَّ، لا يا ابْنَ أحشائِي، لا يا ابْنَ نُذُورِي.

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

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

Do not give thy strength nor thy ways unto the women who destroy kings.

4 ل َيسَ جَيِّداً يا لَمُوئِيلُ، لِلمُلُوكِ وَالحُكّامِ أنْ يَشرَبُوا الخَمْرَ وَالمُسكِراتِ.

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

5 و َإلّا فَإنَّهُ سَيَشرَبُ وَيَنسَى القَوانِينَ، وَيَسلِبُ الفُقَراءَ حُقُوقَهُمْ.

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

6 أ عطِ الخَمرَ لِلهالِكِينَ، وَلِلَّذِينَ فِي مَرارَةِ التَّعاسَةِ.

Give beer unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that have heavy hearts.

7 ي َشرَبُونَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَنسَوْنَ شَقائَهُمْ، وَلا يَتَذَكَّرُونَ تَعاسَتَهُمْ.

They drink and forget their need and remember their misery no more.

8 د افِعْ عَمَّنْ لا يَستَطِيعُونَ الدِّفاعَ عَنْ أنفُسِهِمْ، وَعَنْ حُقُوقِ جَمِيعِ العاجِزِيِنَ.

Open thy mouth for those who cannot speak in the judgment of all the sons of death.

9 ت َكَلَّمْ وَاحكُمْ بِالعَدلِ، وَدافِعْ عَنْ حُقُوقِ الفُقَراءِ وَالمساكِينِ. الزَّوجَةُ الصّالِحَة

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

10 م َنْ يَجِدُ الزَّوجَةَ الصّالِحَةَ؟ فَهِيَ أثمَنُ مِنْ الأحْجارِ الكَرِيمَةِ.

¶ Aleph Who can find a valiant woman? for her price is far above precious stones.

11 ق َلبُ زَوجِها يَثِقُ بِها، وَلا يَنقُصُهُ الخَيرُ أبَداً.

Beth The heart of her husband safely trusts in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 ت ُعطِيهِ الخَيرَ وَلا تُسَبِّبُ لَهُ المَشاكِلَ كُلَّ أيّامِ حَياتِها.

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

13 و َهِيَ تَجمَعُ الصُّوفَ وَالكِتّانَ وَتَستَمتِعُ بِالعَمَلِ بِيَدَيها.

Daleth She sought wool and flax and worked willingly with her hands.

14 و َهِيَ تُشبِهُ السُّفُنَ التِّجارِيَّةَ الَّتِي تُحضِرُ الطَّعامَ مِنْ أماكِنَ بَعِيدَةٍ.

He She was like the merchants’ ships; she brings her food from afar.

15 ت َستَيقِظُ مُبَكِّرَةً لِتُجَهِّزَ الطَّعامَ لِعائِلَتِها، وَتُعْطِي خادِماتِها حِصَصَهُنَّ.

Vau She rose up even at night and gave food to her family and a portion to her maidens.

16 ت َرَى حَقلاً يُعجِبُها فَتَشتَرِيهِ، وَتَزرَعُ كَرماً مِمّا تَرْبَحُهُ.

Zain She considered the inheritance and bought it; with the fruit of her hands she planted a vineyard.

17 ت َبْدَأُ عَمَلَها بِنَشاطٍ وَجِدٍّ وَيَداها قَوِيَّتانِ.

Cheth She girded her loins with strength and strengthened her arms.

18 ت َعلَمُ أنَّ تِجارَتَها مُربِحَةٌ، لِأنَّها تَعمَلُ حَتَّى وَقْتٍ مُتَأخِّرٍ.

Teth She perceived that her merchandise was good; her fire did not go out by night.

19 ت َغْزِلُ الخَيُوطَ بِيَدَيها، وَتَنْسِجُ الثِّيابَ.

Jod She laid her hands to the spindle, and her hands held the distaff.

20 ت ُعطِي بِسَخاءٍ لِلفُقَراءَ، وَتَمُدُّ يَدَيها لِمَعُونَةِ المُحتاجِينَ.

Caph She stretched out her hand to the poor; yea, she reached forth her hands to the destitute.

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

Lamed She shall not be afraid of the snow for her family, for all her family is clothed with double garments.

22 ت َصْنَع لِنَفْسِها أغطيةً مُزَخْرَفَةً، وَتَلْبَسُ ثِياباً مَصْنُوعَةً مِنَ الكِتّانِ وَالأُرْجُوانِ.

Mem She makes herself tapestries; her clothing is of fine linen and purple.

23 ي ُحتَرَمُ زَوْجُها عِنْدَ ألأبْوابِ، حَيثُ يَجلِسُ مَعَ قادَةِ المَدينَةِ.

Nun Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 ت َصْنَعُ ثِياباً وَأحْزِمَةً وَتَبِيعُها للتُّجّارِ.

Samech She made fine linen and sold it and delivered girdles unto the merchant.

25 ي َمْتَدِحُها النّاسُ وَيَحْتَرِمُونَها، وَلا تَقلَقُ عَلَى الأيّامِ القادِمَةِ.

Ain Strength and glory is her clothing, and she shall laugh in the last day.

26 ت َتَكلَّمُ بِالحِكْمَةِ، وَتَنْطِقُ بِتَعلِيمٍ أمِينٍ مَلِيءٍ بِالمَحَبَّةِ وَاللُّطْفِ وَالأمانَةِ.

Pe She opened her mouth with wisdom, and the law of mercy is upon her tongue.

27 ت ُراقِبُ شُؤونَ بَيْتِها، وَلا تَأكُلُ طَعاماً لَمْ تَتعَبْ فِي إعدادِهِ.

Tzaddi She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat bread in idleness.

28 ي َقُومُ أولادُها وَيُهَنِّئونَها، وَزَوْجُها يَمْتَدِحُها.

Koph Her sons rose up and called her blessed; her husband also, and he praised her.

29 ك َثِيراتٌ يَعْمَلْنَ أعْمالاً عَظِيمَةً، وَلَكِنَّكِ تَفَوَّقْتِ عَلَيْهِنَّ جَمِيعاً.

Resh Many daughters have done valiantly, but thou dost excel them all.

30 ي ُمْكِنُ للجَمالِ وَالحَلاوَةِ أنْ يَخْدَعاكَ، وَلَكِنَّ المَرْأةَ التِي تَخافُ اللهَ هِيَ التِي تُمْدَحُ.

Schin Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but the woman that fears the LORD shall be praised.

31 ك افِئُوها عَلَى ما عَمِلَتْ، فَأعْمالُها تَمْدَحُها وَسَطَ النّاسِ.

Tau Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.