箴言 知恵の泉 31

1 レムエル王のことば即ちその母の彼に教へし箴言なり

The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which his mother instructed him:

2 わが子よ何を言んか わが胎の子よ何をいはんか 我が願ひて得たる子よ何をいはんか

“What, O my beloved? What, O beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows?

3 なんぢの力を女につひやすなかれ 王を滅すものに汝の途をまかする勿れ

Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings.

4 レムエルよ酒を飮は王の爲べき事に非ず 王の爲べき事にあらず 醇醪を求むるは牧伯の爲すべき事にあらず

Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns.

5 恐くは洒を飮て律法をわすれ 且すべて惱まさるる者の審判を枉げん

And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor.

6 醇醪を亡びんとする者にあたへ 酒を心の傷める者にあたへよ

Give strong drink to the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul.

7 かれ飮てその貧窮をわすれ復その苦楚を憶はざるべし

Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more.

8 なんぢ瘖者のため又すべての孤者の訟のために口をひらけ

Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through.

9 なんぢ口をひらきて義しき審判をなし貧者と窮乏者の訟を糺せ

Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor.

10 誰か賢き女を見出すことを得ん その價は眞珠よりも貴とし

Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price.

11 その夫の心は彼を恃み その産業は乏しくならじ

The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils.

12 彼が存命ふる間はその夫に善事をなして惡き事をなさず

She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life.

13 彼は羊の毛と麻とを求め喜びて手から操き

She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands.

14 商賈の舟のごとく遠き國よりその糧を運び

She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away.

15 夜のあけぬ先に起てその家人に糧をあたへ その婢女に日用の分をあたふ

And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids.

16 田畝をはかりて之を買ひ その手の操作をもて葡萄園を植ゑ

She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard.

17 力をもて腰に帯し その手を強くす

She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm.

18 彼はその利潤の益あるを知る その燈火は終夜きえず

She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night.

19 かれ手を紡線車にのべ その指に紡錘をとり

She has put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.

20 手を貧者にのべ 手を困苦者に舒ぶ

She has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended her hands to the poor.

21 彼は家人の爲に雪をおそれず 蓋その家人みな蕃紅の衣をきればなり

She shall not fear, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold.

22 彼はおのれの爲に美しき褥子をつくり 細布と紫とをもてその衣とせり

She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment.

23 その夫はその地の長老とともに邑の門に坐するによりて人に知らるるなり

Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land.

24 彼は細布の衣を製りてこれをうり 帯をつくりて商賈にあたふ

She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite.

25 彼は筋力と尊貴とを衣とし且のちの日を笑ふ

Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days.

26 彼は口を啓きて智慧をのぶ 仁愛の教誨その舌にあり

She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.

27 かれはその家の事を鑒み 怠惰の糧を食はず

She has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness.

28 その衆子は起て彼を祝す その夫も彼を讃ていふ

Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her.

29 賢く事をなす女子は多けれども 汝はすべての女子に愈れり

Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all.

30 艶麗はいつはりなり 美色は呼吸のごとし 惟ヱホバを畏るる女は誉られん

Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised.

31 その手の操作の果をこれにあたへ その行爲によりてこれを邑の門にほめよ

Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates.