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.
Misemo Ya Mfalme Lemueli
131:1 Mit 22:17Misemo ya Mfalme Lemueli, usia wa mama yake aliyomfundisha:
231:2 Amu 11:30; Isa 49:15“Ee mwanangu, ee mwana wa tumbo langu,
ee mwana wa nadhiri zangu,31:2 Au: Ewe uliye jibu la maombi yangu.
331:3 Neh 13:26; Kum 17:17; Hos 4:11; 1Fal 11:3Usitumie nguvu zako kwa wanawake,
uhodari wako kwa wale wanaowaharibu wafalme.
431:4 Mhu 10:17; Isa 5:22“Ee Lemueli, haifai wafalme,
haifai wafalme kunywa mvinyo,
haifai watawala kutamani sana kileo,
531:5 1Fal 16:9; Mit 16:12; Hos 4:11wasije wakanywa na kusahau vile sheria inavyoamuru
na kuwanyima haki zao wote walioonewa.
631:6 Mwa 14:18Wape kileo wale wanaoangamia,
mvinyo wale walio na uchungu,
731:7 Es 1:10Wanywe na kusahau umaskini wao
na wasikumbuke taabu yao tena.
831:8 1Sam 19:4; Es 4:16; Ay 29:12-17“Sema kwa ajili ya wale wasioweza kujisemea,
kwa ajili ya haki za wote walioachwa ukiwa.
931:9 Law 19:15; Yer 22:16; Kum 1:16; Isa 1:17Sema na uamue kwa haki,
tetea haki za maskini na wahitaji.”
Maneno Ya Mwisho: Mke Mwenye Sifa Nzuri
1031:10 Rut 3:11; Mit 19:14Mke mwenye sifa nzuri, ni nani awezaye kumpata?
Yeye ni wa thamani sana kuliko marijani.31:10 Mithali 31:10-31 imetungwa kila mstari ukianzia na herufi ya alfabeti ya Kiebrania zikifuatana tangu Aleph (A) hadi Taw (T); zote ni 22.
1131:11 Mwa 2:18; Mit 12:4Mume wake anamwamini kikamilifu
wala hakosi kitu chochote cha thamani.
12Humtendea mumewe mema, wala si mabaya,
siku zote za maisha yake.
1331:13 1Tim 2:9-10Huchagua sufu na kitani
naye hufanya kazi kwa mikono yenye bidii.
14Yeye ni kama meli za biashara
akileta chakula chake kutoka mbali.
1531:15 Mt 24:45; Rum 12:11; Ay 23:12Yeye huamka kungali bado giza
huwapa jamaa yake chakula
na mafungu kwa watumishi wake wa kike.
16Huangalia shamba na kulinunua,
kutokana na mapato yake hupanda shamba la mizabibu.
17Hufanya kazi zake kwa nguvu,
mikono yake ina nguvu kwa ajili ya kazi zake.
18Huona kwamba biashara yake ina faida,
wala taa yake haizimiki usiku.
19Huweka mikono yake kwenye pia,
navyo vidole vyake hushikilia kijiti chenye uzi.
2031:20 Kum 15:11; Ebr 13:16; Efe 4:26-28Huwanyooshea maskini mikono yake
na kuwakunjulia wahitaji vitanga vyake.
2131:21 Yos 2:18-19; Ebr 9:19-22Theluji ishukapo, hana hofu kwa ajili ya watu wa nyumbani mwake,
kwa maana wote wamevikwa nguo za kutia joto.
22Hutengeneza mazulia ya urembo ya kufunika kitanda chake,
yeye huvaa kitani safi na urujuani.
2331:23 Kut 3:16; Kum 16:18; Rut 4:1, 11; Mit 12:4Mume wake anaheshimiwa kwenye lango la mji,
aketipo miongoni mwa wazee wa nchi.
24Hutengeneza mavazi ya kitani na kuyauza,
naye huwauzia wafanyabiashara mishipi.
2531:25 1Tim 2:9, 10Amevikwa nguvu na heshima,
anaweza kucheka bila kuwa na hofu kwa siku zijazo.
26Huzungumza kwa hekima
na mafundisho ya kuaminika yapo ulimini mwake.
2731:27 Mit 14:1; 1Tim 5:14; 2Tim 3:15; Tit 2:4-5Huangalia mambo ya nyumbani mwake
wala hali chakula cha uvivu.
2831:28 1Fal 2:19Watoto wake huamka na kumwita aliyebarikiwa,
mumewe pia humsifu, akisema:
29“Wanawake wengi hufanya vitu vyenye sifa nzuri,
lakini wewe umewapita wote.”
3031:30 Za 112:1Kujipamba ili kuvutia ni udanganyifu na uzuri unapita upesi,
bali mwanamke anayemcha Bwana atasifiwa.
31Mpe thawabu anayostahili,
nazo kazi zake na zimletee sifa kwenye lango la mji.
