What King Lemuel's Mother Taught Him
1 These are the sayings
that King Lemuel of Massa
was taught by his mother.
2 My son Lemuel, you were born
in answer to my prayers,
so listen carefully.
3 Don't waste your life
chasing after women!
This has ruined many kings.
4 Kings and leaders
should not get drunk
or even want to drink.
5 Drinking makes you forget
your responsibilities,
and you mistreat the poor.
6 Beer and wine are only
for the dying or for those
who have lost all hope.
7 Let them drink and forget
how poor and miserable
they feel.
8 But you must defend
those who are helpless
and have no hope.
9 Be fair and give justice
to the poor and homeless.
In Praise of a Good Wife
10 A truly good wife
is the most precious treasure
a man can find!
11 Her husband depends on her,
and she never
lets him down.
12 She is good to him
every day of her life,
13 and with her own hands
she gladly makes clothes.
14 She is like a sailing ship
that brings food
from across the sea.
15 She gets up before daylight
to prepare food for her family
and for her servants.
16 She knows how to buy land
and how to plant a vineyard,
17 and she always works hard.
18 She knows when to buy or sell,
and she stays busy
until late at night.
19 She spins her own cloth,
20 and she helps the poor
and the needy.
21 Her family has warm clothing,
and so she doesn't worry
when it snows.
22 She does her own sewing,
and everything she wears
is beautiful.
23 Her husband is a well-known
and respected leader
in the city.
24 She makes clothes to sell
to the shop owners.
25 She is strong and graceful,
as well as cheerful
about the future.
26 Her words are sensible,
and her advice
is thoughtful.
27 She takes good care
of her family
and is never lazy.
28 Her children praise her,
and with great pride
her husband says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best!”
30 Charm can be deceiving,
and beauty fades away,
but a woman
who honors the Lord
deserves to be praised.
31 Show her respect—
praise her in public
for what she has done.
Gao-ao-e ǀapemās
1 Nēdi ge gao-aob Lemueli ge ǁîb îsa xu a hō ǀapemāde:
2 “Ti ôatse! Ti ǁhās di ôatse!
Ti mîmâisa xu ge hā ǀgôatse!
3 Tā sa ǀgaiba tarekhoedi ai dītoa,
tsî sa ûiba ǁnādi gao-aogu tsîna ra hîkākāde mā.
4 Lemueltse, anu tama i ge hâ gao-aoga ǂauxûi-e āsa,
tamas ka io ǂgaeǂgui-aoga ǀgaisa āxūna āsa.
5 Ā gu ka, o gu ge ǂnûiǂgāde ǃûǂam
tsî huio khoen ǃgâib ǃoa hâ ǂhanuga ra ūbē.
6 ǁŌǁga ra khoe-e xûi-e mā
tsî kaise ǃgomsigu xa ǃkhōhe hâ khoe-e ǂauxûiba mā.
7 An ǂauxûiba ā tsî hâǃnân a ǀgâsiba ǀuru,
în mâsib hîan hâǃnâba tā ǂâiǂâisen.
8 ǃHoabasen ǁoa khoena ǃhoaba,
î huio khoen ǂhanuga ǁkhauba.
9 ǁÎna khâimâba, ǂhanu-aise ǀgoraǃgâ,
î ǀgâsan tsî ǂhâsib ǃnâ hân hoan di ǂhanuga ǂnoaba.”
ǃGâi taras di koahes
10 ǃGâi tara-e hōs ge a ǃgom,
ǁîs ge ǃgomǀgausa ǀuidi xa a ǀō-aisa.
11 ǁÎs aob ge ǁîs ai ra ǂgomaiǂnûi
tsîb ge xū-e tôasi tide.
12 ǁÎs ge ûitsēdi âs ǃnâ ǃgâin ǀguina ra dība bi,
xawe tsūba tama.
13 ǁÎs ge gūǀûn tsî ǃapin
tsîn ǀkha turaxase ra sîsen.
14 ǁÎs ge ǂharugu-aogu doe-omdi khami
ǃnūseba xu ǂûn âsa ra ǀkhī-ū.
15 ǁÎs ge ganupe i ǃkhae hîa khâimâ,
omaris âsa ǂûmā tsî ǃgādi âsa sîsenna ra ǁgui-ai.
16 ǁÎs ge ǃhūsa ǂâiǃgâ tsî ǀgui ra ǁama;
ǁîs ge hōǂgās âs ǀkha draibeǃhanaba ra ǂgā.
17 ǁÎs ge ǀgaib ǀkha kamanab âsa ǃgae
tsî ǁôakha âsa ra ǀgaiǀgai.
18 ǁÎs ge ǂharugub âs a ǃgâi ǃkhaisa ǂan.
ǃAmǀaes âs ge tsuxuba ǃnâǀû tama hâ.
19 ǁÎs ge tsau tamase
ǃomkha âs ǀkha sarana ra ǂom.
20 ǀGâsa khoen ǃaroma kha ge ǁîs ǃomkha a ǁkhowa-amsa
tsîs ge ǂhâb ǃnâ hâ khoena ra hui.
21 ǁÎs omaris din ǃaromas ge ǁîsa tsamaros di hāsa ǂhomisenba hâ,
ǁîn ǃgomǀgausa saran ǀkha ǂhomitoahe hâ xui-ao.
22 ǁÎs ge îsa lapigu kharo-aib diga ra ǂombasen;
ǁîs saran ge tsaura ǂhoaǀapa lapin ǀkha a ǂomsa.
23 ǁÎs aob ge ǃās di ǂgâ-amdi tawa a ǂansa,
ǃhūb di kai khoegu ǁaegub ga sī ǂnû ǁaeb ai.
24 ǁÎs ge saragu tsî ǃgaesengu tsîga ǂom
tsî ǂharugu-aogu ai ra ǁamaxū.
25 ǁÎs ge ǀgaib tsî ǃgôasib tsîkha ǀkha anasen
tsî sao ra tsēs xa ǀnai ra ǃgâiaǂgao.
26 Gā-aisib ǀkhas ge ǁîsa ams âsa ra ǁkhowa-am
tsî ǀnamǀnamsa ǁkhāǁkhās ge nammi âs ai hâ.
27 ǁÎs ge hoaǁae ǁîs omarisa ra kōǃgâ
tsîs ge ǀopesasiba xu ǁîs pereba ǂû tama hâ.
28 ǁÎs ôan ge khâimâ tsî ǀkhaehesas ti ra ǀonǂgai si;
ǁîs aob tsîn ge ǁnāti ǂgai si tsî ra ǃkhōǀkhā si.
29 “ǂGui taradi ge ǂoaǂamsase ge tanisen,
xawe sas ge ǁîdi hoade īǂam hâ.”
30 Îsasib ge ǂgaeǂhapu, ǁîb ge ra kā,
xawe ǃKhūba ra ǃaoǃgâ taras ge nî koahe.
31 ǁÎsa dītoas go xūn ǃaroma ǃgôasiba mā,
a gu ǁîs sîsenga ǃās di ǂgâ-amdi tawa ǁîsa koa.
