For An Accomplished Woman

(Proverbs 31:10-31)
http://www.JewishRenewalHasidus.org/Reb-Zalman-Resources

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י: אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ

An accomplished woman who can find;

beyond pearls is your worth.

יא: בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לא יֶחְסָר

By your integrity your husband’s heart is secure;

nothing is lacking where you are in charge.

יב: גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוב וְלא-רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ

Good are you to me, never vexing,

all your days (and especially our nights).

יג: דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים וַתַּעַשֹ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ

Designing in wool and linen,

your hands do your bidding with alacrity.

יד: הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּות סוחֵר מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ

High business acumen is yours,

like that of a world trader,

importing food from afar.

טו: וַתָּקָם בְּעוד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ

Well before dawn you rise

to apportion meals for our family

and tasks for your helpers.

טז: זָמְמָה שָֹדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נָטְעָה כָּרֶם

Zealously you assess your purchases before buying;

a vineyard you plant, the fruit of your hands

יז: חָגְרָה בְעוז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרועֹתֶיהָ

How mightily you gird your loins.

Your embraces are warm and strong.

יח: טָעֲמָה כִּי-טוב סַחְרָהּ לא-יִכְבֶּה בַלַּיְלָה נֵרָהּ

Tastily, you offer your wares;

your light radiates undimmed through the night.

יט: יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁור וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶך

Your hands are firm in what they weave together;

your palms support the spinning wheels.

כ: כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָֹה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיון

Kindly, you support the poor,

your hands at the service of the needy.

כא: לא-תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל-בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים

Lily white clean is our home

and brightly colored its appointments.

כב: מַרְבַדִּים עָשְֹתָה-לָּהּ שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ

Many textured are your weaves;

you wear silks and purples in elegance.

כג: נודָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּו עִם-זִקְנֵי-אָרֶץ

Named and known am I as your husband

when I sit in the councils of the elders.

כד: סָדִין עָשְֹתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר וַחֲגור נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי

Sheer are the garments you design;

your enterprise is valued by the people.

כה: עוז-וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וַתִּשְֹחַק לְיום אַחֲרון

On you dresses become beauty and strength,

and your future is happily assured.

כו: פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתורַת-חֶסֶד עַל-לְשׁונָהּ

Pearls of wisdom come from your lips;

your speech is gentle and kind.

כז: צופִיָּה הֲלִיכות בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לא תֹאכֵל

Certain is the way you conduct our home,

and immaculate is our kitchen.

כח: קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ

Courteous are your relatives and friends in their praise of you,

and your husband raves about you.

כט: רַבּות בָּנות עָשֹוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל-כֻּלָּנָה

Ravishing and skillful are many good women,

but you are even more stunning than they.

ל: שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת-יְהֹוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל

Shameless is mere charm and mere dazzling is vain.

How you are in God awareness, that is worth extolling!

לא: תְּנוּ-לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶֹיהָ

Thousandfold may you reap your rewards

for your fame deserves to be widely acknowledged.