The Sayings of King Lemuel
1These are the sayings of King Lemuel. His mother taught them to him. These sayings came from God.
2Listen, my son! Listen, my very own son!
Listen, you who are the answer to my prayers!
3Don’t waste your strength on women.
Don’t waste it on those who destroy kings.
4Lemuel, it isn’t good for kings to drink wine.
It isn’t good for rulers to long for beer.
5If they do, they might drink and forget what has been commanded.
They might take away the rights of all those who are treated badly.
6Let beer be for those who are dying.
Let wine be for those who are sad and troubled.
7Let them drink and forget how poor they are.
Let them forget their suffering.
8Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
Speak up for the rights of all those who are poor.
9Speak up and judge fairly.
Speak up for the rights of those who are poor and needy.
The Excellent Woman
10Who can find an excellent woman?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11Her husband trusts her completely.
She gives him all the important things he needs.
12She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She chooses wool and flax.
She loves to work with her hands.
14She is like the ships of traders.
She brings her food from far away.
15She gets up while it is still night.
She provides food for her family.
She also gives some to her female servants.
16She considers a field and buys it.
She uses some of the money she earns to plant a vineyard.
17She gets ready to work hard.
Her arms are strong.
18She sees that her trading earns a lot of money.
Her lamp doesn’t go out at night.
19With one hand she holds the wool.
With the other she spins the thread.
20She opens her arms to those who are poor.
She reaches out her hands to those who are needy.
21When it snows, she’s not afraid for her family.
All of them are dressed in the finest clothes.
22She makes her own bed coverings.
She is dressed in fine linen and purple clothes.
23Her husband is respected at the city gate.
There he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen clothes and sells them.
She supplies belts to the traders.
25She puts on strength and honor as if they were her clothes.
She can laugh at the days that are coming.
26She speaks wisely.
She teaches faithfully.
27She watches over family matters.
She is busy all the time.
28Her children stand up and call her blessed.
Her husband also rises up, and he praises her.
29He says, “Many women do excellent things.
But you are better than all the others.”
30Charm can fool you. Beauty fades.
But a woman who has respect for the Lord should be praised.
31Give her honor for all that her hands have done.
Let everything she has done bring praise to her at the city gate.
利慕伊勒王的箴言
1以下是利慕伊勒王的箴言，
是他母親給他的教誨：
2我兒，我親生的骨肉，
我許願得來的孩子啊，
我該怎樣教導你呢？
3不要在女人身上耗費精力，
不要迷戀那些能毀滅王的人。
4利慕伊勒啊，
君王不可喝酒，
不可喝酒，
首領不宜喝烈酒，
5免得喝酒後忘記律例，
不為困苦人伸張正義。
6把烈酒給滅亡的人，
把淡酒給憂傷的人，
7讓他們喝了忘掉貧窮，
不再記得自己的痛苦。
8要為不能自辯者說話，
為一切不幸的人伸冤。
9你要發言，秉公審判，
為貧窮困苦者主持公道。
賢德的妻子
10誰能找到賢德之妻？
她的價值遠勝過珠寶。
11她丈夫信賴她，
什麼也不缺乏。
12她一生對丈夫有益無損。
13她尋找羊毛和細麻，
愉快地親手做衣。
14她好像商船，
從遠方運來糧食。
15天未亮她就起床，
為全家預備食物，
分派女僕做家事。
16她選中田地便買下來，
親手賺錢栽種葡萄園。
17她精力充沛，
雙臂有力。
18她深諳經營之道，
她的燈徹夜不熄。
19她手拿捲線杆，
手握紡線錘。
20她樂於賙濟窮人，
伸手幫助困苦者。
21她不因下雪而為家人擔心，
因為全家都穿著朱紅暖衣。
22她為自己縫製繡花毯，
用細麻和紫布做衣服。
23她丈夫在城門口與當地長老同坐，
受人尊重。
24她縫製細麻衣裳出售，
又製作腰帶賣給商人。
25她充滿力量和尊榮，
她以笑顏迎接未來。
26她說的話帶著智慧，
她的訓言充滿慈愛。
27她料理一切家務，
從不偷懶吃閒飯。
28她的兒女肅立，
為她祝福，
她的丈夫也稱讚她，
29說：「世上賢德的女子很多，
唯有你無與倫比。」
30豔麗是虛假的，
美貌是短暫的，
唯有敬畏耶和華的女子配得稱讚。
31願她享受自己的勞動成果，
願她的事蹟使她在城門口受稱讚。
