1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. 7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 ¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth 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 maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also , and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
1 Οἱ ἐμοὶ λόγοι εἴρηνται ὑπὸ θεοῦ,
βασιλέως χρηματισμός, ὃν ἐπαίδευσεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ.
2 τί, τέκνον, τηρήσεις; τί; ῥήσεις θεοῦ·
πρωτογενές, σοὶ λέγω, υἱέ·
τί, τέκνον ἐμῆς κοιλίας;
τί, τέκνον ἐμῶν εὐχῶν;
3 μὴ δῷς γυναιξὶ σὸν πλοῦτον
καὶ τὸν σὸν νοῦν καὶ βίον εἰς ὑστεροβουλίαν.
4 μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει,
μετὰ βουλῆς οἰνοπότει·
οἱ δυνάσται θυμώδεις εἰσίν,
οἶνον δὲ μὴ πινέτωσαν,
5 ἵνα μὴ πιόντες ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς σοφίας
καὶ ὀρθὰ κρῖναι οὐ μὴ δύνωνται τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς.
6 δίδοτε μέθην τοῖς ἐν λύπαις
καὶ οἶνον πίνειν τοῖς ἐν ὀδύναις,
7 ἵνα ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς πενίας
καὶ τῶν πόνων μὴ μνησθῶσιν ἔτι.
8 ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα λόγῳ θεοῦ
καὶ κρῖνε πάντας ὑγιῶς·
9 ἄνοιγε σὸν στόμα καὶ κρῖνε δικαίως,
διάκρινε δὲ πένητα καὶ ἀσθενῆ.
10 Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει;
τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστιν λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη.
11 θαρσεῖ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς,
ἡ τοιαύτη καλῶν σκύλων οὐκ ἀπορήσει·
12 ἐνεργεῖ γὰρ τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἀγαθὰ πάντα τὸν βίον.
13 μηρυομένη ἔρια καὶ λίνον ἐποίησεν εὔχρηστον ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῆς.
14 ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ ναῦς ἐμπορευομένη μακρόθεν,
συνάγει δὲ αὕτη τὸν βίον.
15 καὶ ἀνίσταται ἐκ νυκτῶν
καὶ ἔδωκεν βρώματα τῷ οἴκῳ
καὶ ἔργα ταῖς θεραπαίναις.
16 θεωρήσασα γεώργιον ἐπρίατο,
ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς κατεφύτευσεν κτῆμα.
17 ἀναζωσαμένη ἰσχυρῶς τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτῆς
ἤρεισεν τοὺς βραχίονας αὐτῆς εἰς ἔργον.
18 ἐγεύσατο ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι,
καὶ οὐκ ἀποσβέννυται ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ὁ λύχνος αὐτῆς.
19 τοὺς πήχεις αὐτῆς ἐκτείνει ἐπὶ τὰ συμφέροντα,
τὰς δὲ χεῖρας αὐτῆς ἐρείδει εἰς ἄτρακτον.
20 χεῖρας δὲ αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν πένητι,
καρπὸν δὲ ἐξέτεινεν πτωχῷ.
21 οὐ φροντίζει τῶν ἐν οἴκῳ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, ὅταν που χρονίζῃ·
πάντες γὰρ οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτῆς ἐνδιδύσκονται.
22 δισσὰς χλαίνας ἐποίησεν τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς,
ἐκ δὲ βύσσου καὶ πορφύρας ἑαυτῇ ἐνδύματα.
23 περίβλεπτος δὲ γίνεται ἐν πύλαις ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς,
ἡνίκα ἂν καθίσῃ ἐν συνεδρίῳ μετὰ τῶν γερόντων κατοίκων τῆς γῆς.
24 σινδόνας ἐποίησεν καὶ ἀπέδοτο,
περιζώματα δὲ τοῖς Χαναναίοις.
25 στόμα αὐτῆς διήνοιξεν προσεχόντως καὶ ἐννόμως
καὶ τάξιν ἐστείλατο τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῆς.
26 ἰσχὺν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσατο
καὶ εὐφράνθη ἐν ἡμέραις ἐσχάταις.
27 στεγναὶ διατριβαὶ οἴκων αὐτῆς,
σῖτα δὲ ὀκνηρὰ οὐκ ἔφαγεν.
28 τὸ στόμα δὲ ἀνοίγει σοφῶς καὶ νομοθέσμως,
ἡ δὲ ἐλεημοσύνη αὐτῆς ἀνέστησεν τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐπλούτησαν,
καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ᾔνεσεν αὐτήν
29 Πολλαὶ θυγατέρες ἐκτήσαντο πλοῦτον,
πολλαὶ ἐποίησαν δυνατά,
σὺ δὲ ὑπέρκεισαι καὶ ὑπερῆρας πάσας.
30 ψευδεῖς ἀρέσκειαι καὶ μάταιον κάλλος γυναικός·
γυνὴ γὰρ συνετὴ εὐλογεῖται,
φόβον δὲ κυρίου αὕτη αἰνείτω.
31 δότε αὐτῇ ἀπὸ καρπῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς,
καὶ αἰνείσθω ἐν πύλαις ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς.