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pp. 438-439
Kiddush and Zemirot for Shabbat Evening

Eshet Hayil

אשת חיל

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Prov. 31
Hebrew
אֵשֶׁת־חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא, וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ:
בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ, וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר:
גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא־רָע, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ:
דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים, וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ:
הָיְתָה כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר, מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ:
וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה, וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ, וְחֹק לְנַעֲרֹתֶיהָ:
זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ, מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נָטְעָה כָּרֶם:
חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ, וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶיהָ:
טָעֲמָה כִּי־טוֹב סַחְרָהּ, לֹא־יִכְבֶּה בַלַּיְלָה נֵרָהּ:
יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר, וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ:
כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי, וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן:
לֹא־תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג, כִּי כָל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים:
מַרְבַדִּים עָשְׂתָה־לָּהּ, שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ:
נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ, בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם־זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ:
סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר, וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי:
עֹז־וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ, וַתִּשְׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן:
פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה, וְתוֹרַת־חֶסֶד עַל־לְשׁוֹנָהּ:
צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ, וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל:
קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ, בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ:
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל, וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל־כֻּלָּנָה:
שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה הִיא תִתְהַלָּל:
תְּנוּ־לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ, וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ:
Sephardi
Eshet-chayil mi yimtza, verachok mipeninim michrah:
Batach bah lev ba'lah, veshalal lo yechsar:
Gemalatu tov velo-ra, kol yemei chayehah:
Darshah tzemer ufishtim, vata'as bechefetz kapehah:
Hayetah ka'oniyot socher, mimerchak tavi lachmah:
Vataqam be'od laylah, vatiten teref leveitah, vechok lena'arotehah:
Zamemah sadeh vatikachehu, miperi chapehah nat'ah karem:
Chagrah ve'oz matnehah, vat'ametz zero'otehah:
Ta'amah ki-tov sachrah, lo-yichbeh balaylah nerah:
Yadehah shilchah vakishor, vechapehah tamchu falech:
Kapah parsah le'ani, veyadehah shilchah la'evyon:
Lo-tira leveitah mishaleg, ki chol-beitah lavush shanim:
Marbadim astah-lah, shesh ve'argaman levushah:
Noda bash'arim ba'lah, beshivto im-ziknei-aretz:
Sadin astah vatimkor, vachagor natnah lakena'ani:
Oz-vehadar levushah, vatischak leyom acharon:
Pihah patchah vechochmah, vetorat-chesed al-leshonah:
Tzofiyah halichot beitah, velechem atzlut lo tochel:
Kamu vanehah vaye'ashruhah, ba'lah vayehalelah:
Rabot banot asu chayil, ve'at alit al-kulanah:
Sheker hachen vehevel hayofi, ishah yirat-Adonai hi tit'halal:
Tenu-lah miperi yadehah, vihaleluhah vash'arim ma'asehah:
English
A woman of strength, who can find? Her worth is far beyond pearls. Her husband’s heart trusts in her, and he has no lack of gain. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and linen, and works with willing hands. She is like a ship laden with merchandise, bringing her food from afar. She rises while it is still night, providing food for her household, portions for her maids. She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and braces her arms for her tasks. She sees that her business goes well; her lamp does not go out at night. She holds the distaff in her hand, and grasps the spindle with her palms. She reaches out her palm to the poor, and extends her hand to the needy. She has no fear for her family when it snows, for all her household is clothed in crimson wool. She makes elegant coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple wool. Her husband is well known in the gates, where he sits with the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue. She watches over the ways of her household, and never eats the bread of idleness. Her children rise and call her happy; her husband also praises her: “Many women have excelled, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive and beauty vain; it is the God-fearing woman who deserves praise. Give her the reward she has earned; let her deeds bring her praise in the gates.