31:1 Verba Lamuelis regis. Visio qua erudivit eum mater sua.

31:1 The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.

31:2 Quid, dilecte mi ? quid, dilecte uteri mei ? quid, dilecte votorum meorum ?

31:2 What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?

31:3 Ne dederis mulieribus substantiam tuam, et divitias tuas ad delendos reges.

31:3 Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.

31:4 Noli regibus, o Lamuel, noli regibus dare vinum, quia nullum secretum est ubi regnat ebrietas ;

31:4 Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:

31:5 et ne forte bibant, et obliviscantur judiciorum, et mutent causam filiorum pauperis.

31:5 And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.

31:6 Date siceram mœrentibus, et vinum his qui amaro sunt animo.

31:6 Give strong drink to them that are sad; and wine to them that are grieved in mind:

31:7 Bibant, et obliviscantur egestatis suæ, et doloris sui non recordentur amplius.

31:7 Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.

31:8 Aperi os tuum muto, et causis omnium filiorum qui pertranseunt.

31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.

31:9 Aperi os tuum, decerne quod justum est, et judica inopem et pauperem.

31:9 Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.

31:10 Mulierem fortem quis inveniet ? procul et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus.

31:10 Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.

31:11 Confidit in ea cor viri sui, et spoliis non indigebit.

31:11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.

31:12 Reddet ei bonum, et non malum, omnibus diebus vitæ suæ.

31:12 She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life.

31:13 Quæsivit lanam et linum, et operata est consilia manuum suarum.

31:13 She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.

31:14 Facta est quasi navis institoris, de longe portans panem suum.

31:14 She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.

31:15 Et de nocte surrexit, deditque prædam domesticis suis, et cibaria ancillis suis.

31:15 And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.

31:16 Consideravit agrum, et emit eum ; de fructu manuum suarum plantavit vineam.

31:16 She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.

31:17 Accinxit fortitudine lumbos suos, et roboravit brachium suum.

31:17 She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.

31:18 Gustavit, et vidit quia bona est negotiatio ejus ; non extinguetur in nocte lucerna ejus.

31:18 She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.

31:19 Manum suam misit ad fortia, et digiti ejus apprehenderunt fusum.

31:19 She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.

31:20 Manum suam aperuit inopi, et palmas suas extendit ad pauperem.

31:20 She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.

31:21 Non timebit domui suæ a frigoribus nivis ; omnes enim domestici ejus vestiti sunt duplicibus.

31:21 She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.

31:22 Stragulatam vestem fecit sibi ; byssus et purpura indumentum ejus.

31:22 She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering.

31:23 Nobilis in portis vir ejus, quando sederit cum senatoribus terræ.

31:23 Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.

31:24 Sindonem fecit, et vendidit, et cingulum tradidit Chananæo.

31:24 She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.

31:25 Fortitudo et decor indumentum ejus, et ridebit in die novissimo.

31:25 Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.

31:26 Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua ejus.

31:26 She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.

31:27 Consideravit semitas domus suæ, et panem otiosa non comedit.

31:27 She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.

31:28 Surrexerunt filii ejus, et beatissimam prædicaverunt ; vir ejus, et laudavit eam.

31:28 Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.

31:29 Multæ filiæ congregaverunt divitias ; tu supergressa es universas.

31:29 Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.

31:30 Fallax gratia, et vana est pulchritudo : mulier timens Dominum, ipsa laudabitur.

31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

31:31 Date ei de fructu manuum suarum, et laudent eam in portis opera ejus.

31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.