Proverbs 31

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Proverbs 31

1My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.

2What will you keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to you: what? son of my womb? what? * son of my vows?

3Give not your wealth to women, nor your mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.

4Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:

5lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.

6Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:

7that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.

8Open your mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.

9Open your mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.

10Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει; τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη.

11The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.Θαρσεῖ ἐπʼ αὐτῇ ἡ καρδία τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς· ἡ τοιαύτη καλῶν σκύλων οὐκ ἀπορήσει.

12For she employs all her living for her husband's good.Ἐνεργεῖ γὰρ τῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰς ἀγαθὰ πάντα τὸν βίον.

13Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.Μηρυομένη ἔρια καὶ λινὸν, ἐποίησεν εὔχρηστον ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῆς.

14She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.Ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ ναῦς ἐμπορευομένη μακρόθεν, συνάγει δὲ αὕτη τὸν βίον.

15And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and appointed tasks to her maidens.Καὶ ἀνίσταται ἐκ νυκτῶν, καὶ ἔδωκε βρώματα τῷ οἴκῳ, καὶ ἔργα ταῖς θεραπαίναις.

16She views a farm, and buys it: and with the fruit of her hands she plants a possession.Θεωρήσασα γεώργιον ἐπρίατο, ἀπὸ δὲ καρπῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς κατεφύτευσεν κτῆμα.

17She strongly girds her loins, and strengthens her arms for work.Ἀναζωσαμένη ἰσχυρῶς τὴν ὀσφῦν αὐτῆς ἤρεισε τοὺς βραχίονας αὐτῆς εἰς ἔργον.

18And she finds by experience that working is good; and her candle goes not out all night.Καὶ ἐγεύσατο ὅτι καλόν ἐστι τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἀποσβέννυται ὁ λύχνος αὐτῆς ὅλην τὴν νύκτα.

19She reaches forth her arms to needful works, and applies her hands to the spindle.τοὺς πήχεις αὐτῆς ἐκτείνει ἐπὶ τὰ συμφέροντα, τὰς δὲ χεῖρας αὐτῆς ἐρείδει εἰς ἄτρακτον.

20And she opens her hands to the needy, and reaches out fruit to the poor.Χεῖρας δὲ αὐτῆς διήνοιξε πένητι, καρπὸν δὲ ἐξέτεινεν πτωχῷ.

21Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad: for all † her household are clothed.Οὐ φροντίζει τῶν ἐν οἴκῳ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ὅταν που χρονίζῃ, πάντες γὰρ οἱ παρʼ αὐτῆς ἐνδεδυμένοι εἰαί.

22She makes for her husband ‡ clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.Δισσὰς χλαίνας ἐποίησε τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς, ἐκ δὲ βύσσου καὶ πορφύρας ἑαυτῇ ἐνδύματα.

23And her husband becomes a distinguished person in the gates, when he sits in council with the old inhabitants of the land.Περίβλεπτος δὲ γίνεται ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ἐν πύλαις, ἡνίκα ἂν καθίσῃ ἐν συνεδρίῳ μετὰ τῶν γερόντων κατοίκων τῆς γῆς.

24She makes fine linens, and sells girdles to the Chananites: she opens her mouth heedfully and with propriety, and controls her tongue.Σινδόνας ἐποίησε καὶ ἀπέδοτο περιζώματα τοῖς Χαναναίοις. στόμα αὐτῆς διήνοιξε προσεχόντως καὶ ἐννόμως, καὶ τάξιν ἐστείλατο τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῆς.

25She puts on strength and honor; and rejoices in the last days.Ἰσχὺν καὶ εὐπρέπειαν ἐνεδύσατο, καὶ εὐφράνθη ἐν ἡμέραις ἐσχάταις.

26But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.Στεγναὶ διατριβαὶ οἴκων αὐτῆς, σῖτα δὲ ὀκνηρὰ οὐκ ἔφαγεν.

27The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.Τὸ στόμα δὲ ἀνοίγει σοφῶς καὶ νομοθέσμως. Ἡ δὲ ἐλεημοσύνη αὐτῆς

28And her kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.ἀνέστησε τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπλούτησαν, καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς ᾔνεσεν αὐτήν.

29Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but you have exceeded, you have surpassed all.Πολλαὶ θυγατέρες ἐκτήσαντο πλοῦτον, πολλαὶ ἐποίησαν δύναμιν· σὺ δὲ ὑπέρκεισαι, ὑπερῇρας πάσας.

30Charms are false, and woman's beauty is vain: for it is a wise woman that is blessed, and let her praise the fear the Lord.Ψευδεῖς ἀρέσκειαι, καὶ μάταιον κάλλος γυναικος· γυνὴ γὰρ συνετὴ εὐλογεῖται, φόβον δὲ Κυρίου αὕτη αἰνείτω.

31Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.Δότε αὐτῇ ἀπὸ καρπῶν χειλέων αὐτῆς, καὶ αἰνείσθω ἐν πύλαις ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 2*The usual punctuation has been altered.
• v. 21†Gr. those with her.
• v. 22‡Comp. Heb. and A.V.