31:1

דִּבְרֵי לְמוּאֵל מֶלֶךְ מַשָּׂא אֲ‍שֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ׃

The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him.

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31:2

מַה־בְּרִי וּמַה־בַּר־בִּטְנִי וּמֶה בַּר־נְדָרָי׃

What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows?

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31:3

אַל־תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ וּדְרָכֶיךָ לַמְחוֹת מְלָכִין׃

Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

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31:4

אַל לַמְלָכִים לְמוֹאֵל אַל לַמְלָכִים שְׁתוֹ־יָיִן וּלְרוֹזְנִים או [אֵי] שֵׁכָר׃

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: Nor for princes to say: ‘Where is strong drink?’

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31:5

פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח מְחֻקָּק וִישַׁנֶּה דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֹנִי׃

Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.

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31:6

תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְיַיִן לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ׃

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul;

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31:7

יִשְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּח רִישׁוֹ וַעֲמָלוֹ לֹא יִזְכָּר־עוֹד׃

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

31:8

פְּתַח־פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם אֶל־דִּין כָּל־בְּנֵי חֲלוֹף׃

Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.

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31:9

פְּתַח־פִּיךָ שְׁפָט־צֶדֶק וְדִין עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן׃

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

31:10

אֵשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ׃

A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies.

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31:11

בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר׃

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain.

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31:12

גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיה׃

She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life.

31:13

דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ׃

She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

31:14

הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ׃

She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

31:15

וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ׃

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

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31:16

זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נטע [נָטְעָה] כָּרֶם׃

She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

31:17

חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרֹעוֹתֶיהָ׃

She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.

31:18

טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ לֹא־יִכְבֶּה בליל [בַלַּיְלָה] נֵרָהּ׃

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goeth not out by night.

31:19

יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ׃

She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.

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31:20

כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן׃

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

31:21

לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים׃

She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

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31:22

מַרְבַדִּים עָשְׂתָה־לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ׃

She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

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31:23

נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ׃

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

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31:24

סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי׃

She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

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31:25

עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן׃

Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come.

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31:26

פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת־חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָהּ׃

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

31:27

צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל׃

She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.

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31:28

קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ׃

Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her:

31:29

רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּנָה׃

’Many daughters have done valiantly, But thou excellest them all.’

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31:30

שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל׃

Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

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31:31

תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ׃

Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates.

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