Verba Lamuelis regis. Visio qua erudivit eum mater sua.
The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.
Quid, dilecte mi ? quid, dilecte uteri mei ? quid, dilecte votorum meorum ?
What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?
Ne dederis mulieribus substantiam tuam, et divitias tuas ad delendos reges.
Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
Noli regibus, o Lamuel, noli regibus dare vinum, quia nullum secretum est ubi regnat ebrietas ;
Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:
et ne forte bibant, et obliviscantur judiciorum, et mutent causam filiorum pauperis.
And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.
Date siceram mœrentibus, et vinum his qui amaro sunt animo.
Give strong drink to them that are sad; and wine to them that are grieved in mind:
Bibant, et obliviscantur egestatis suæ, et doloris sui non recordentur amplius.
Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
Aperi os tuum muto, et causis omnium filiorum qui pertranseunt.
Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.
Aperi os tuum, decerne quod justum est, et judica inopem et pauperem.
Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.
Mulierem fortem quis inveniet ? procul et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus.
Who shall find a valiant woman? far, and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
Confidit in ea cor viri sui, et spoliis non indigebit.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
Reddet ei bonum, et non malum, omnibus diebus vitæ suæ.
She will render him good, and not evil all the days of her life.
Quæsivit lanam et linum, et operata est consilia manuum suarum.
She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
Facta est quasi navis institoris, de longe portans panem suum.
She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
Et de nocte surrexit, deditque prædam domesticis suis, et cibaria ancillis suis.
And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
Consideravit agrum, et emit eum ; de fructu manuum suarum plantavit vineam.
She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
Accinxit fortitudine lumbos suos, et roboravit brachium suum.
She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
Gustavit, et vidit quia bona est negotiatio ejus ; non extinguetur in nocte lucerna ejus.
She hath tasted, and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
Manum suam misit ad fortia, et digiti ejus apprehenderunt fusum.
She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
Manum suam aperuit inopi, et palmas suas extendit ad pauperem.
She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
Non timebit domui suæ a frigoribus nivis ; omnes enim domestici ejus vestiti sunt duplicibus.
She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.
Stragulatam vestem fecit sibi ; byssus et purpura indumentum ejus.
She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple, is her covering.
Nobilis in portis vir ejus, quando sederit cum senatoribus terræ.
Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
Sindonem fecit, et vendidit, et cingulum tradidit Chananæo.
She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
Fortitudo et decor indumentum ejus, et ridebit in die novissimo.
Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua ejus.
She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
Consideravit semitas domus suæ, et panem otiosa non comedit.
She hath looked well on the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
Surrexerunt filii ejus, et beatissimam prædicaverunt ; vir ejus, et laudavit eam.
Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
Multæ filiæ congregaverunt divitias ; tu supergressa es universas.
Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
Fallax gratia, et vana est pulchritudo : mulier timens Dominum, ipsa laudabitur.
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Date ei de fructu manuum suarum, et laudent eam in portis opera ejus.
Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.