2Whatמַה־mah-H4100shall I say,O my sonH1248?Whatוּמַֽה־u.mah-H4100,O sonH1248of my wombבִּטְנִ֑יbit.NiH990?Whatוּ֝מֶהU.mehH4100,O sonH1248of my vowsנְדָרָֽי׃ne.da.RaiH5088?
3Do notאַל־'al-H408spendתִּתֵּ֣ןti.TenH5414your strengthחֵילֶ֑ךָchei.Le.khaH2428on womenלַנָּשִׁ֣יםla.na.ShimH802or your vigorוּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָu.de.ra.Khei.khaH1870on those who ruinלַֽמְח֥וֹתlam.ChotH4229kingsמְלָכִֽין׃me.la.KhinH4428.
4It is notאַ֤ל'alH408for kingsלַֽמְלָכִ֨ים׀lam.la.KhimH4428,O Lemuelלְֽמוֹאֵ֗לle.mo.'ElH3927,it is notאַ֣ל'alH408for kingsלַֽמְלָכִ֣יםlam.la.KhimH4428to drinkשְׁתוֹ־she.tov-H8354wineיָ֑יִןYa.yinH3196,or for rulersוּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗יםu.le.roz.NimH7336to craveH176strong drinkשֵׁכָֽר׃she.KharH7941,
5lestפֶּן־pen-H6435they drinkיִ֭שְׁתֶּהYish.tehH8354and forgetוְיִשְׁכַּ֣חve.yish.KachH7911what is decreedמְחֻקָּ֑קme.chu.KakH2710,deprivingוִֽ֝ישַׁנֶּהVi.sha.nehH8138allכָּל־kol-H3605the oppressedבְּנֵי־ עֹֽנִי׃be.nei- 'O.niH1121H6040of justiceדִּ֣יןdinH1779.
6Giveתְּנוּ־te.nu-H5414strong drinkשֵׁכָ֣רshe.KharH7941to one who is perishingלְאוֹבֵ֑דle.'o.VedH6,and wineוְ֝יַיִןVe.ya.yinH3196to the bitterלְמָ֣רֵיle.Ma.reiH4751in soulנָֽפֶשׁ׃Na.feshH5315.
7Let him drinkיִ֭שְׁתֶּהYish.tehH8354and forgetוְיִשְׁכַּ֣חve.yish.KachH7911his povertyרִישׁ֑וֹri.ShoH7389,and rememberיִזְכָּר־yiz.kor-H2142his miseryוַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹva.'a.ma.LoH5999noלֹ֣אlo'H3808moreעֽוֹד׃odH5750.
8Openפְּתַח־pe.tach-H6605your mouthפִּ֥יךָPi.khaH6310for those with no voiceלְאִלֵּ֑םle.'i.LemH483,forאֶל־'el-H413the causeדִּ֝֗יןDinH1779of allכָּל־kol-H3605the dispossessedבְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃be.Nei cha.LofH1121H2475.
The Virtues of a Noble Woman
9Openפְּתַח־pe.tach-H6605your mouthפִּ֥יךָPi.khaH6310,judgeשְׁפָט־she.fot-H8199righteouslyצֶ֑דֶקTze.dekH6664,and defend the causeוְ֝דִ֗יןve.DinH1777of the poorעָנִ֥י'a.NiH6041and needyוְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ פve.'ev.YonH34.
10A wifeאֵֽשֶׁת־'e.shet-H802of noble characterחַ֭יִלCha.yilH2428,whoמִ֣יmiH4310can findיִמְצָ֑אyim.Tza'H4672?She is farוְרָחֹ֖קve.ra.ChokH7350more preciousמִכְרָֽהּ׃mikh.RahH4377than rubiesמִפְּנִינִ֣יםmi.pe.ni.NimH6443.
11The heartלֵ֣בlevH3820of her husbandבַּעְלָ֑הּba'.LahH1167trustsבָּ֣טַחBa.tachH982in her,and he lacksיֶחְסָֽר׃yech.SarH2637nothingלֹ֣אlo'H3808of valueוְ֝שָׁלָ֗לve.sha.LalH7998.
12She brings himגְּמָלַ֣תְהוּge.ma.Lat.huH1580goodט֣וֹבTovH2896and notוְלֹא־ve.lo'-H3808harmרָ֑עRa'H7451allכֹּ֝֗לKolH3605the daysיְמֵ֣יye.MeiH3117of her lifeחַיֶּֽיה׃chai.YeihH2416.
14She isהָ֭יְתָהHa.ye.tahH1961like the merchantסוֹחֵ֑רso.CherH5503shipsכָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹתko.'o.ni.YotH591,bringingתָּבִ֥יאta.Vi'H935her foodלַחְמָֽהּ׃lach.MahH3899from afarמִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗קmi.mer.ChakH4801.
15She risesוַתָּ֤קָם׀va.Ta.komH6965while it is stillבְּע֬וֹדbe.'odH5750nightלַ֗יְלָהLay.lahH3915to provideוַתִּתֵּ֣ןva.ti.TenH5414foodטֶ֣רֶףTe.refH2964for her householdלְבֵיתָ֑הּle.vei.TahH1004and portionsוְ֝חֹ֗קve.ChokH2706for her maidservantsלְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃le.na.'a.ro.Tei.haH5291.
17She girds herselfחָֽגְרָ֣ה מָתְנֶ֑יהָcha.ge.Rah ma.te.Nei.haH2296H4975with strengthבְע֣וֹזve.'ozH5797and shows that her armsזְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ze.ro.'o.Tei.haH2220are strongוַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץva.te.'a.MetzH553.
18She seesטָ֭עֲמָהTa.'a.mahH2938thatכִּי־ki-H3588her gainסַחְרָ֑הּsach.RahH5504isgoodט֣וֹבTovH2896,and her lampנֵרָֽהּ׃ne.RahH5216is notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808extinguishedיִכְבֶּ֖הyikh.BehH3518at nightבַלַּ֣יְלָהva.la.yilH3915.
19She stretchesשִׁלְּחָ֣הshi.le.ChahH7971out her handsיָ֭דֶיהָYa.dei.haH3027to the distaffבַכִּישׁ֑וֹרva.ki.ShorH3601and graspsתָּ֣מְכוּTa.me.khuH8551the spindleפָֽלֶךְ׃Fa.lekhH6418with her fingersוְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָve.kha.Pei.haH3709.
20She opensפָּרְשָׂ֣הpa.re.SahH6566her armsכַּ֭פָּהּKa.pahH3709to the poorלֶעָנִ֑יle.'a.NiH6041and reaches outשִׁלְּחָ֥הshi.le.ChahH7971her handsוְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָve.ya.Dei.haH3027to the needyלָֽאֶבְיֽוֹן׃La.'ev.YonH34.
21When it snowsמִשָּׁ֑לֶגmi.Sha.legH7950,she has noלֹא־lo'-H3808fearתִירָ֣אti.Ra'H3372for her householdלְבֵיתָ֣הּle.vei.TahH1004,forכִּ֥יkiH3588they areallכָל־ בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּkhol- bei.TahH3605H1004clothedלָבֻ֥שׁla.VushH3847in scarletשָׁנִֽים׃sha.NimH8144.
22She makesעָֽשְׂתָה־'a.se.tah-H6213coverings for her bedמַרְבַדִּ֥יםmar.va.DimH4765;her clothingלְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃le.vu.ShahH3830is fine linenשֵׁ֖שׁsheshH8336and purpleוְאַרְגָּמָ֣ןve.'ar.ga.ManH713.
23Her husbandבַּעְלָ֑הּba'.LahH1167is knownנוֹדָ֣עno.Da'H3045at the city gatesבַּשְּׁעָרִ֣יםba.she.'a.RimH8179,where he sitsבְּ֝שִׁבְתּ֗וֹbe.shiv.ToH3427amongעִם־'im-H5973the eldersזִקְנֵי־zik.nei-H2205of the landאָֽרֶץ׃'A.retzH776.
24She makesעָ֭שְׂתָה'A.se.tahH6213linen garmentsסָדִ֣יןsa.DinH5466and sellsוַתִּמְכֹּ֑רva.tim.KorH4376them;she deliversנָתְנָ֥הna.te.NahH5414sashesוַ֝חֲג֗וֹרva.cha.GorH2290to the merchantsלַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃La.ke.na.'a.NiH3669.
25Strengthעֹז־'oz-H5797and honorוְהָדָ֥רve.ha.DarH1926are her clothingלְבוּשָׁ֑הּle.vu.ShahH3830,and she can laughוַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗קva.tis.ChakH7832at the daysלְי֣וֹםle.YomH3117to comeאַחֲרֽוֹן׃'a.cha.RonH314.
27She watches overצ֭וֹפִיָּהTzo.fi.yahH6822the affairsהֲלִיכ֣וֹתha.li.KhotH1979of her householdבֵּיתָ֑הּbei.TahH1004and does notלֹ֣אlo'H3808eatתֹאכֵֽל׃to.KhelH398the breadוְלֶ֥חֶםve.Le.chemH3899of idlenessעַ֝צְל֗וּת'atz.LutH6104.
28Her childrenבָ֭נֶיהָVa.nei.haH1121rise upקָ֣מוּKa.muH6965and call her blessedוַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָvay.'a.she.Ru.haH833;her husbandבַּ֝עְלָ֗הּba'.LahH1167praises her as wellוַֽיְהַֽלְלָהּ׃Vay.Ha.LahH1984:
30Charmהַ֭חֵןHa.chenH2580is deceptiveשֶׁ֣קֶרShe.kerH8267and beautyהַיֹּ֑פִיhai.Yo.fiH3308is fleetingוְהֶ֣בֶלve.He.velH1892,but a womanאִשָּׁ֥ה'i.ShahH802who fearsיִרְאַת־yir.'at-H3373the LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הYah.wehH3068הִ֣יאhi'H1931is to be praisedתִתְהַלָּֽל׃tit.ha.LalH1984.
31Giveתְּנוּ־te.nu-H5414herthe fruitמִפְּרִ֣יmi.pe.RiH6529of her handsיָדֶ֑יהָya.Dei.haH3027,and let her worksמַעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ma.'a.Sei.haH4639praise herוִֽיהַלְל֖וּהָvi.ha.Lu.haH1984at the gatesבַשְּׁעָרִ֣יםva.she.'a.RimH8179.
Commentaries