잠언 31

1르무엘 왕의 말씀한 바 곧 그 어머니가 그를 훈계한 잠언이라 2내 아들아 내가 무엇을 말할꼬 내 태에서 난 아들아 내가 무엇을 말할꼬 서원대로 얻은 아들아 내가 무엇을 말할꼬 3네 힘을 여자들에게 쓰지 말며 왕들을 멸망시키는 일을 행치 말지어다 4르무엘아 포도주를 마시는 것이 왕에게 마땅치 아니하고 왕에게 마땅치 아니하며 독주를 찾는 것이 주권자에게 마땅치 않도다 5술을 마시다가 법을 잊어버리고 모든 간곤한 백성에게 공의를 굽게 할까 두려우니라 6독주는 죽게된 자에게, 포도주는 마음에 근심하는 자에게 줄지어다 7그는 마시고 빈궁한 것을 잊어버리겠고 다시 그 고통을 기억지 아니하리라 8너는 벙어리와 고독한 자의 송사를 위하여 입을 열지니라 9너는 입을 열어 공의로 재판하여 간곤한 자와 궁핍한 자를 신원할지니라 10누가 현숙한 여인을 찾아 얻겠느냐 그 값은 진주보다 더 하니라 11그런 자의 남편의 마음은 그를 믿나니 산업이 핍절치 아니하겠으며 12그런 자는 살아 있는 동안에 그 남편에게 선을 행하고 악을 행치 아니하느니라 13그는 양털과 삼을 구하여 부지런히 손으로 일하며 14상고의 배와 같아서 먼 데서 양식을 가져오며 15밤이 새기 전에 일어나서 그 집 사람에게 식물을 나눠주며 여종에게 일을 정하여 맡기며 16밭을 간품하여 사며 그 손으로 번 것을 가지고 포도원을 심으며 17힘으로 허리를 묶으며 그 팔을 강하게 하며 18자기의 무역하는 것이 이로운 줄을 깨닫고 밤에 등불을 끄지 아니하고 19손으로 솜뭉치를 들고 손가락으로 가락을 잡으며 20그는 간곤한 자에게 손을 펴며 궁핍한 자를 위하여 손을 내밀며 21그 집 사람들은 다 홍색 옷을 입었으므로 눈이 와도 그는 집 사람을 위하여 두려워하지 아니하며 22그는 자기를 위하여 아름다운 방석을 지으며 세마포와 자색 옷을 입으며 23그 남편은 그 땅의 장로로 더불어 성문에 앉으며 사람의 아는 바가 되며 24그는 베로 옷을 지어 팔며 띠를 만들어 상고에게 맡기며 25능력과 존귀로 옷을 삼고 후일을 웃으며 26입을 열어 지혜를 베풀며 그 혀로 인애의 법을 말하며 27그 집안 일을 보살피고 게을리 얻은 양식을 먹지 아니하나니 28그 자식들은 일어나 사례하며 그 남편은 칭찬하기를 29덕행 있는 여자가 많으나 그대는 여러 여자보다 뛰어난다 하느니라 30고운 것도 거짓되고 아름다운 것도 헛되나 오직 여호와를 경외하는 여자는 칭찬을 받을 것이라 31그 손의 열매가 그에게로 돌아갈 것이요 그 행한 일을 인하여 성문에서 칭찬을 받으리라

1The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him. 2“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows! 3Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings. 4It is not for kings, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’ 5lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted. 6Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul: 7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate. 9Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.” 10Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain. 12She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands. 14She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar. 15She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls. 16She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. 17She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong. 18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night. 19She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 23Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. 24She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant. 25Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come. 26She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness. 28Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her: 29“Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.” 30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!

1De woorden van de koning Lemuel; de last, maarmede zijn moeder hem onderwees. 2Wat, o mijn zoon, en wat, o zoon mijns buiks? ja, wat, o zoon mijner geloften? 3Geeft aan de vrouwen uw vermogen niet, noch uw wegen, om koningen te verdelgen. 4Het komt den koningen niet toe, o Lemuel! het komt den koningen niet toe wijn te drinken, en den prinsen, sterken drank te begeren; 5Opdat hij niet drinke, en het gezette vergete, en de rechtzaak van alle verdrukten verandere. 6Geeft sterken drank dengene, die verloren gaat, en wijn dengenen, die bitterlijk bedroefd van ziel zijn; 7Dat hij drinke, en zijn armoede vergete, en zijner moeite niet meer gedenke. 8Open uw mond voor den stomme, voor de rechtzaak van allen, die omkomen zouden. 9Open uw mond; oordeel gerechtelijk, en doe den verdrukte en nooddruftige recht. 10Aleph. Wie zal een deugdelijke huisvrouw vinden? Want haar waardij is verre boven de robijnen. 11Beth. Het hart haars heren vertrouwt op haar, zodat hem geen goed zal ontbreken. 12Gimel. Zij doet hem goed en geen kwaad, al de dagen haars levens. 13Daleth. Zij zoekt wol en vlas, en werkt met lust harer handen. 14He. Zij is als de schepen eens koopmans; zij doet haar brood van verre komen. 15Vau. En zij staat op, als het nog nacht is, en geeft haar huis spijze, en haar dienstmaagden het bescheiden deel. 16Zain. Zij denkt om een akker, en krijgt hem; van de vrucht harer handen plant zij een wijngaard. 17Cheth. Zij gordt haar lenden met kracht, en zij versterkt haar armen. 18Teth. Zij smaakt, dat haar koophandel goed is; haar lamp gaat des nachts niet uit. 19Jod. Zij steekt haar handen uit naar de spil, en haar handpalmen vatten den spinrok. 20Caph. Zij breidt haar handpalm uit tot den ellendige; en zij steekt haar handen uit tot den nooddruftige. 21Lamed. Zij vreest voor haar huis niet vanwege de sneeuw; want haar ganse huis is met dubbele klederen gekleed. 22Mem. Zij maakt voor zich tapijtsieraad; haar kleding is fijn linnen en purper. 23Nun. Haar man is bekend in de poorten, als hij zit met de oudsten des lands. 24Samech. Zij maakt fijn lijnwaad en verkoopt het; en zij levert den koopman gordelen. 25Ain. Sterkte en heerlijkheid zijn haar kleding; en zij lacht over den nakomenden dag. 26Pe. Zij doet haar mond open met wijsheid; en op haar tong is leer der goeddadigheid. 27Tsade. Zij beschouwt de gangen van haar huis; en het brood der luiheid eet zij niet. 28Koph. Haar kinderen staan op, en roemen haar welgelukzalig; ook haar man, en hij prijst haar, zeggende: 29Resch. Vele dochteren hebben deugdelijke gehandeld; maar gij gaat die allen te boven. 30Schin. De bevalligheid is bedrog, en de schoonheid ijdelheid; maar een vrouw, die den HEERE vreest, die zal geprezen worden. 31Thau. Geef haar van de vrucht harer handen, en laat haar werken haar prijzen in de poorten.