Proverbs 31
Proverbs 31 | |
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Book | Book of Proverbs |
Category | Ketuvim |
Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 21 |
Proverbs 31 is the 31st and final chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.[1] Verses 1 to 9 present the advice which King Lemuel's mother gave to him, about how a just king should reign. The remaining verses detail the attributes of a good wife or an ideal woman (verses 10–31). The latter section is also known as Eshet Ḥayil.[2]
Text
Hebrew
The following table shows the Hebrew text[3][4] of Proverbs 31 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) |
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1 | דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃ | The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him. |
2 | מַה־בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶ֗ה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃ | What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? |
3 | אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין׃ | Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. |
4 | אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים (או) [אֵ֣י] שֵׁכָֽר׃ | It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: Nor for princes to say: ‘Where is strong drink?’ |
5 | פֶּן־יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִ֝ישַׁנֶּ֗ה דִּ֣ין כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃ | Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. |
6 | תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֥ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַ֗יִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃ | Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul; |
7 | יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכׇּר־עֽוֹד׃ | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. |
8 | פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃ | Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. |
9 | פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ | Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. |
10 | אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א וְרָחֹ֖ק מִפְּנִינִ֣ים מִכְרָֽהּ׃ | A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies. |
11 | בָּ֣טַח בָּ֭הּ לֵ֣ב בַּעְלָ֑הּ וְ֝שָׁלָ֗ל לֹ֣א יֶחְסָֽר׃ | The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain. |
12 | גְּמָלַ֣תְהוּ ט֣וֹב וְלֹא־רָ֑ע כֹּ֝֗ל יְמֵ֣י חַיֶּֽיהָ׃ | She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life. |
13 | דָּ֭רְשָׁה צֶ֣מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַ֝תַּ֗עַשׂ בְּחֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ׃ | She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. |
14 | הָ֭יְתָה כׇּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת סוֹחֵ֑ר מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק תָּבִ֥יא לַחְמָֽהּ׃ | She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar. |
15 | וַתָּ֤קׇם ׀ בְּע֬וֹד לַ֗יְלָה וַתִּתֵּ֣ן טֶ֣רֶף לְבֵיתָ֑הּ וְ֝חֹ֗ק לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃ | She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens. |
16 | זָֽמְמָ֣ה שָׂ֭דֶה וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ מִפְּרִ֥י כַ֝פֶּ֗יהָ (נטע) [נָ֣טְעָה] כָּֽרֶם׃ | She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. |
17 | חָֽגְרָ֣ה בְע֣וֹז מׇתְנֶ֑יהָ וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ זְרוֹעֹתֶֽיהָ׃ | She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms. |
18 | טָ֭עֲמָה כִּי־ט֣וֹב סַחְרָ֑הּ לֹא־יִכְבֶּ֖ה (בליל) [בַלַּ֣יְלָה] נֵרָֽהּ׃ | She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goeth not out by night. |
19 | יָ֭דֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָ֣ה בַכִּישׁ֑וֹר וְ֝כַפֶּ֗יהָ תָּ֣מְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ׃ | She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle. |
20 | כַּ֭פָּהּ פָּֽרְשָׂ֣ה לֶעָנִ֑י וְ֝יָדֶ֗יהָ שִׁלְּחָ֥ה לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ | She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. |
21 | לֹא־תִירָ֣א לְבֵיתָ֣הּ מִשָּׁ֑לֶג כִּ֥י כׇל־בֵּ֝יתָ֗הּ לָבֻ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃ | She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet. |
22 | מַרְבַדִּ֥ים עָֽשְׂתָה־לָּ֑הּ שֵׁ֖שׁ וְאַרְגָּמָ֣ן לְבוּשָֽׁהּ׃ | She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. |
23 | נוֹדָ֣ע בַּשְּׁעָרִ֣ים בַּעְלָ֑הּ בְּ֝שִׁבְתּ֗וֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃ | Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land. |
24 | סָדִ֣ין עָ֭שְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּ֑ר וַ֝חֲג֗וֹר נָתְנָ֥ה לַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃ | She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. |
25 | עֹז־וְהָדָ֥ר לְבוּשָׁ֑הּ וַ֝תִּשְׂחַ֗ק לְי֣וֹם אַחֲרֽוֹן׃ | Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come. |
26 | פִּ֭יהָ פָּתְחָ֣ה בְחׇכְמָ֑ה וְת֥וֹרַת חֶ֝֗סֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽהּ׃ | She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue. |
27 | צ֭וֹפִיָּה (הילכות) [הֲלִיכ֣וֹת] בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל׃ | She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. |
28 | קָ֣מוּ בָ֭נֶיהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ בַּ֝עְלָ֗הּ וַֽיְהַלְלָֽהּ׃ | Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her: |
29 | רַבּ֣וֹת בָּ֭נוֹת עָ֣שׂוּ חָ֑יִל וְ֝אַ֗תְּ עָלִ֥ית עַל־כֻּלָּֽנָה׃ | ’Many daughters have done valiantly, But thou excellest them all.’ |
30 | שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭חֵן וְהֶ֣בֶל הַיֹּ֑פִי אִשָּׁ֥ה יִרְאַת־יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה הִ֣יא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃ | Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. |
31 | תְּנוּ־לָ֭הּ מִפְּרִ֣י יָדֶ֑יהָ וִיהַלְל֖וּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִ֣ים מַֽעֲשֶֽׂיהָ׃ | Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[5]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[6]
The words of Lemuel (31:1–9)
In this part, an unnamed queen-mother gives instruction to her son, King Lemuel, on his duty to administer justice.[2] Using the appeal to his filial respect to a mother and his birth as an answer of a prayer (verse 2, cf. 1 Samuel 1:11), the mother warns the king against sexual promiscuity and drunkenness (verses 3–7).[2] The eighth and ninth verses are an appeal against inequality and injustice.[7][8]
The good wife (31:10–31)
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Verses 10–31 of this chapter, also called Eshet Ḥayil (אשת חיל, woman of valor), form a poem in praise of the good wife, a definition of a perfect wife or "ideal woman" in the nation of Israel, who is 'an industrious housewife, a shrewd businesswoman, an enterprising trader, a generous benefactor (verse 20) and a wise teacher (verse 26).[2] This "Woman of Valor" has been described as the personification of wisdom, or in some sense as a description of a particular class of women in Israel, Persia, or in Hellenistic society.[9] Some[who?] see this as a praise directed from the husband to his wife.
It is one of the thirteen alphabetical
Verse 30
- Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
- But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.[11]
The key to the woman's industry, acumen, kindness and wisdom lies in her "
Uses
This chapter is recited on Friday night before Shabbat dinner in some Jewish homes.
The chapter has been emphasized within the biblical womanhood movement, and a number of books have been published on the "Proverbs 31 woman".[12][13][14][15][16] This emphasis has been subject to criticism in Christian articles.[17][18]
References
- ^ Halley 1965, p. 273.
- ^ a b c d e f g Aitken 2007, p. 422.
- ^ "Proverbs – Chapter 31". Mechon Mamre.
- ^ "Proverbs 31 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 36–37.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
- ^ Proverbs 31:8–9: King James Version
- ^ Brinson, Will (September 26, 2017). "Anthem singer Jordin Sparks has 'Proverbs 31:8–9' on hand for Cowboys vs. Cardinals". CBS Sports. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ISBN 90-04-14492-7, p. 201.
- Katherine Bushnell
- ^ Proverbs 31:30
- ^ Reid, E. R. (1993). The Proverbs 31 Woman. Destiny Image.
- Multnomah.
- ISBN 9780736908184.
- Revell.
- ^ Horn, Sarah (2011). My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife: A One-Year Experiment… and Its Surprising Results. Harvest House.
- ^ Lodge, Carey (3 January 2015). "How misapplying Proverbs 31 gives us a skewed picture of biblical womanhood". Christian Today. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- ^ Oquist, Lauren (28 August 2014). "Stop Obsessing About the Proverbs 31 Woman". Relevant. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
Sources
- Aitken, K. T. (2007). "19. Proverbs". In ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ISBN 0-310-25720-4.
- ISBN 0-8028-0788-7. Retrieved January 26, 2019.