Proverbs 31 מִשְׁלֵי פרק ל״א

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Proverbs 31 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   דִּבְרֵיthe words ofלְמוּאֵלLemuelמֶלֶךְthe king ofמַשָּׂאthe prophecyאֲשֶׁר־יִסְּרַתּוּwhich she instructed himאִמּוֹ׃his mother

   The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

2. 2

   מַה־בְּרִיwhat my sonוּמַה־בַּר־בִּטְנִיand what the son of my wombוּמֶהand whatבַּר־נְדָרָי׃the son of my vows

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

3. 3

   אַל־תִּתֵּןgive notלַנָּשִׁיםto the womenחֵילֶךָyour strengthוּדְרָכֶיךָand your waysלַמְחוֹתto that which destroysמְלָכִין׃kings

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

4. 4

   אַלdo notלַמְלָכִיםfor kingsלְמוֹאֵלO Lemuelאַלdo notלַמְלָכִיםfor kingsשְׁתוֹ־יָיִןto drink wineוּלְרוֹזְנִיםand for rulers(או)[אֵי]norשֵׁכָר׃strong drink

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

5. 5

   פֶּן־יִשְׁתֶּהlest he drinksוְיִשְׁכַּחand he may forgetמְחֻקָּקthe lawוִישַׁנֶּהand pervertדִּיןcauseכׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹנִי׃any of the afflicted

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

6. 6

   תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָרgive strong drinkלְאוֹבֵדto one who is perishingוְיַיִןand wineלְמָרֵיto those bitter ofנָפֶשׁ׃souls

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

7. 7

   יִשְׁתֶּהhe drinksוְיִשְׁכַּחand he may forgetרִישׁוֹhis povertyוַעֲמָלוֹand his troubleלֹאnotיִזְכׇּר־עוֹד׃he remembered any more

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

8. 8

   פְּתַח־פִּיךָopen your mouthלְאִלֵּםfor the dumbאֶל־דִּיןto causeכׇּל־בְּנֵיall sons ofחֲלוֹף׃appointed to destruction

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

9. 9

   פְּתַח־פִּיךָopen your mouthשְׁפׇט־צֶדֶקjudge righteouslyוְדִיןand plead the cause ofעָנִיpoorוְאֶבְיוֹן׃and needy

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

10. 10

    אֵשֶׁת־חַיִלa virtuous womanמִיwhoיִמְצָאshall findוְרָחֹקand is farמִפְּנִינִיםabove rubiesמִכְרָהּ׃her price

    Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11. 11

    בָּטַחit trustsבָּהּin itלֵבheartבַּעְלָהּher husbandוְשָׁלָלand of spoilלֹאnotיֶחְסָר׃he shall have no need

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

12. 12

    גְּמָלַתְהוּshe will do himטוֹבgoodוְלֹא־רָעand not evilכֹּלallיְמֵיthe days ofחַיֶּיהָ׃her life

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

13. 13

    דָּרְשָׁהshe seeksצֶמֶרwoolוּפִשְׁתִּיםand linenוַתַּעַשׂand worksבְּחֵפֶץwillingly withכַּפֶּיהָ׃her palms

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

14. 14

    הָיְתָהwasכׇּאֳנִיּוֹתlike the ships ofסוֹחֵרthe merchantמִמֶּרְחָקfrom afarתָּבִיאshe bringsלַחְמָהּ׃her food

    She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15. 15

    וַתָּקׇםand she aroseבְּעוֹדin yetלַיְלָהnightוַתִּתֵּןand she gaveטֶרֶףthe preyלְבֵיתָהּto her householdוְחֹקand a portionלְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ׃to her female servants

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

16. 16

    זָמְמָהshe considersשָׂדֶהfieldוַתִּקָּחֵהוּand buys itמִפְּרִיof fruit ofכַפֶּיהָher hands(נטע)[נָטְעָה]it plantedכָּרֶם׃a vineyard

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

17. 17

    חָגְרָהshe girdsבְעוֹזwith strengthמׇתְנֶיהָher loinsוַתְּאַמֵּץand she strengthenedזְרוֹעֹתֶיהָ׃her arms

    She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18. 18

    טָעֲמָהshe perceivesכִּי־טוֹבthat it is wellסַחְרָהּher merchandiseלֹא־יִכְבֶּהnot it was extinguished(בליל)[בַלַּיְלָה]in the nightנֵרָהּ׃her lamp

    She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19. 19

    יָדֶיהָher handsשִׁלְּחָהshe sendsבַכִּישׁוֹרon the distaffוְכַפֶּיהָand her palmsתָּמְכוּthey supportedפָלֶךְ׃the spindle

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

20. 20

    כַּפָּהּher handפָּרְשָׂהshe spreads outלֶעָנִיfor the poor personוְיָדֶיהָand her handsשִׁלְּחָהshe sendsלָאֶבְיוֹן׃for the needy person

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

21. 21

    לֹא־תִירָאshe is not afraidלְבֵיתָהּto her householdמִשָּׁלֶגfrom snowכִּיbecauseכׇל־בֵּיתָהּall her houseלָבֻשׁis clothedשָׁנִים׃scarlet

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

22. 22

    מַרְבַדִּיםcoveringsעָשְׂתָה־לָּהּshe makes for herselfשֵׁשׁfine linenוְאַרְגָּמָןand purpleלְבוּשָׁהּ׃her clothing

    She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23. 23

    נוֹדָעis knownבַּשְּׁעָרִיםat the gatesבַּעְלָהּher husbandבְּשִׁבְתּוֹas he satעִם־זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ׃with the elders of the land

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

24. 24

    סָדִיןlinen garmentsעָשְׂתָהshe makesוַתִּמְכֹּרand she soldוַחֲגוֹרand a beltנָתְנָהgaveלַכְּנַעֲנִי׃to the merchant

    She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25. 25

    עֹז־וְהָדָרstrength and honorלְבוּשָׁהּher clothingוַתִּשְׂחַקand she shall rejoiceלְיוֹםto dayאַחֲרוֹן׃to come

    Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26. 26

    פִּיהָher mouthפָּתְחָהshe opensבְחׇכְמָהin wisdomוְתוֹרַתand the law ofחֶסֶדmercyעַל־לְשׁוֹנָהּ׃upon her tongue

    She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27. 27

    צוֹפִיָּהshe is watching over[הֲלִיכוֹת]the ways ofבֵּיתָהּher houseוְלֶחֶםand breadעַצְלוּתidlenessלֹאnotתֹאכֵל׃she will eat

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

28. 28

    קָמוּarise upבָנֶיהָher sonsוַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָand they called blessed herבַּעְלָהּher husbandוַיְהַלְלָהּ׃and he praised her

    Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29. 29

    רַבּוֹתmanyבָּנוֹתdaughtersעָשׂוּthey didחָיִלvirtuouslyוְאַתְּand youעָלִיתyou excelעַל־כֻּלָּנָה׃upon all of them

    Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30. 30

    שֶׁקֶרfalseהַחֵןthe graceוְהֶבֶלand is vainהַיֹּפִיthe beautyאִשָּׁהbut a womanיִרְאַת־יְהֹוָהthe fear of the LORDהִיאsheתִתְהַלָּל׃she will be praised

    Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31. 31

    תְּנוּ־לָהּgive itמִפְּרִיof fruit ofיָדֶיהָher handsוִיהַלְלוּהָand let them praise herבַשְּׁעָרִיםin the gatesמַעֲשֶׂיהָ׃her work

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