1 The words of king Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
2 "Oh, my son!
Oh, son of my womb!
Oh, son of my vows!
3 Don’t give your strength to women,
nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
5 lest they drink, and forget the law,
and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish,
and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
in the cause of all who are left desolate.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
and serve justice to the poor and needy."
10 Who can find a worthy woman?
For her value is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her.
He shall have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works eagerly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships.
She brings her bread from afar.
15 She rises also while it is yet night,
gives food to her household,
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field, and buys it.
With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17 She arms her waist with strength,
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
19 She lays her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her arms to the poor;
yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes for herself carpets of tapestry.
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing.
She laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom.
Kind instruction is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you excel them all."
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands!
Let her works praise her in the gates!
1 Die woorde van L,muël, die koning van Massa, waarmee sy moeder hom vermaan het:
2 Wat, my seun, ja wat, seun van my skoot, ja wat, seun van my geloftes, sal ek sê?
3 Gee jou krag nie aan vroue of jou omgang aan die wat konings uitroei nie.
4 Die konings, o L,muël, die konings moet nie wyn drink nie, en die vorste moet nie sterk drank begeer nie;
5 anders drink hy en vergeet die insettinge en verdraai die reg van al die ellendiges.
6 Gee sterk drank aan hom wat wil ondergaan, en wyn aan die wat bitter bedroef is.
7 Laat hy drink en sy armoede vergeet en aan sy moeite nie meer dink nie.
8 Maak jou mond oop vir die stomme, vir die regsaak van almal wat wegkwyn.
9 Maak jou mond oop, oordeel regverdig, en verskaf reg aan die ellendige en die behoeftige.
10 Alef. Wie sal 'n deugsame vrou vind? want haar waarde is ver bo korale.
11 Bet. Die hart van haar man vertrou op haar, en aan wins sal dit hom nie ontbreek nie.
12 Gimel. Sy doen aan hom goed, en nie kwaad nie, al die dae van haar lewe.
13 Dalet. Sy sorg vir wol en vlas, en sy werk met gewillige hande.
14 He. Sy is soos die skepe van 'n handelaar -- van ver af bring sy haar brood in.
15 Wau. En sy staan op as dit nog nag is en gee voedsel aan haar huisgesin en die bestemde deel aan haar diensmeisies.
16 Sajin. Sy dink na oor 'n stuk grond en koop dit, van die vrug van haar hande plant sy 'n wingerd.
17 Get. Sy omgord haar lendene met krag en hou haar arms stewig.
18 Tet. Sy voel dat haar wins goed is, in die nag gaan haar lamp nie dood nie.
19 Jod. Sy steek haar hande uit na die spinstok, en haar handpalms hou die spoel vas.
20 Kaf. Sy brei haar handpalm uit na die ellendige, en sy steek haar hande uit na die behoeftige.
21 Lamed. Sy is nie bevrees vir haar huisgesin vanweë die sneeu nie, want haar hele huisgesin dra skarlaken stof.
22 Mem. Sy maak vir haarself dekens, haar tabberd is van fyn linne en purper.
23 Noen. Haar man is bekend in die poorte as hy saam met die oudstes van die land sit.
24 Samek. Sy maak hemde en verkoop dit, en gordels lewer sy aan die handelaars.
25 Ajin. Sterkte en eer is haar kleed, en sy lag oor die dag wat kom.
26 Pe. Haar mond maak sy oop met wysheid, en vriendelike onderrigting is op haar tong.
27 Sade. Opmerksaam gaan sy die werksaamhede van haar huis na, en die brood van luiheid eet sy nie.
28 Kof. Haar seuns tree op en noem haar gelukkig, haar man ook, en hy prys haar:
29 Resj. Baie dogters het hulle knap gedra, maar jy oortref hulle almal.
30 Sjin. Die bevalligheid is bedrog, en die skoonheid is nietigheid; 'n vrou wat die HERE vrees, sy moet geprys word.
31 Tau. Gee haar van die vrug van haar hande, en laat haar werke haar prys in die poorte.