Sayings of King Lemuel
1The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3Do not spend your strength31:3 Or wealth on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
1031:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise 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把烈酒給行將滅亡的人，
把淡酒給心中憂傷的人，
7讓他們喝了忘掉自己的貧窮，
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你要開口秉公審判，
為貧窮困苦者辯護。
賢德的妻子
1031·10 10-30節是字母詩，每一節依次由一個希伯來字母開頭。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，
分派婢女做家事。
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她手拿捲線桿，
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。
