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The New Jew
← Siddur Tehillat Hashem, Weiss Edition / Contents
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pp. 310-311
Friday Night

Songs For Friday Evening

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For transliteration, see page 950.

The Jewish Nation are like an excellent wife to God

Hebrew
אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא, וְרָחֹק
מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ: בָּטַח
בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ, וְשָׁלָל לֹא
יֶחְסָר: גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא
רָע, כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיהָ:
Sephardi
Eshet chayil mi yimtza, ve-rachok
mi-peninim michrah: batach
bah lev ba’lah, ve-shalal lo
yechsar: gemalathu tov v'lo
ra, kol yemei chayyehah:
English
Who can find a wife of excellence who has all the following qualities? Her value is far greater than the most precious jewels. Her husband’s heart trusts in her to take care of everything. Since he has nothing to worry about, he can do his work, and he will not miss out on any business gains. All the days of her life, she treats him well; she does good things for him and never bad things.
Hebrew
דָּרְשָׁה צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים,
וַתַּעַשׂ בְּחֵפֶץ כַּפֶּיהָ: הָיְתָה
כָּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר, מִמֶּרְחָק
תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ: וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד
לַיְלָה, וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ,
וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ: זָמְמָה
שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ, מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ
נָטְעָה כָּרֶם:
Sephardi
Darshah tsemer u-fishtim,
va-ta’as be-chefets kappehah: hayetah
ka-oniyyot socher, mi-merchak
tavi lachmah: va-taqam be-od
laylah, va-titten teref le-vetah,
ve-chok le-na’arotehah: zamemah
sadeh va-tikkachehu, mi-peri kappehah
nat’ah karem:
English
She goes out to search for wool and flax to sew clothing, and she does it willingly, with her own hands. She is like a merchant’s ships, because she brings her food from far away. She gets up while it is still nighttime, before the sun rises, and gives food to her household and divides jobs for her maids. She considers buying a field because of its great value and then buys it without delay. From the earnings that she receives for the work of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
Hebrew
חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ,
וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעוֹתֶיהָ<sup>1</sup>: טָעֲמָה כִּי
טוֹב סַחְרָהּ, לֹא יִכְבֶּה בַלַּיְלָה
נֵרָהּ: יָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר,
וְכַפֶּיהָ תָּמְכוּ פָלֶךְ:
Sephardi
Chagrah ve-oz motnehah,
va-te’amets zero’otehah<sup>1</sup>: ta’amah ki
tov sachrah, lo yichbeh ba-laylah
nerah: yadehah shilchah va-kishor,
ve-chappehah tamechu falech:
English
She overcomes tiredness with strength, puts on her clothing—and flexes her arms in preparation for work.<sup>1</sup> When she realizes that her work is good and she can benefit from it, she will stay up all night to work; her candle will not go out all night. She puts her hands on a spindle (a tool that spins wool into thread) and her palms hold onto a distaff (a tool that holds wool in place while it is being spun). With these tools, she makes clothing for her household.
Hebrew
כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי, וְיָדֶיהָ
שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן: לֹא תִירָא
לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג, כִּי כָל
בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים: מַרְבַדִּים
עָשְׂתָה לָּהּ, שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן
לְבוּשָׁהּ: נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים<sup>2</sup>
בַּעְלָהּ, בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי
אָרֶץ: סָדִין עָשְׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר,
וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי: עֹז<sup>3</sup>
וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ, וַתִּשְׂחַק
לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן:
Sephardi
Kappah parsah le-ani, ve-yadehah
shilchah la-evyon: lo tira
le-vetah mi-shaleg, ki kol
betah lavush shanim: marbaddim
asetah lah, shesh ve-argaman
levushah: noda va-she’arim<sup>2</sup>
ba’lah, be-shivto im ziknei
aretz: sadin asetah va-timkor,
va-chagor natnah la-kena’ani: oz<sup>3</sup>
vehadar levushah, va-tischak
l'yom acharon:
English
She holds out her hand to give money to the poor and extends her hands to give money to poor people who are too embarrassed to ask for it. She is not afraid that her household will be cold from snow in the winter, because her entire household is wearing warm, colored clothing. She makes herself beautiful material; she wears beautiful clothing made of fine linen and purple wool. Her husband is well-known among the important people who gather at the gates,<sup>2</sup> when he sits with the elders of the land. She makes bed-linen for others and sells them; she supplies belts to merchants. Her clothes are beautiful and durable,<sup>3</sup> and she is certain that she will be happy in her last days, when she becomes old.
Hebrew
פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה,
וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ:
צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ,
וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל<sup>4</sup>:
Sephardi
Pihah patchah ve-chochmah,
ve-torat chesed al leshonah:
Tsofiyyah halikhot betah,
v'lechem atslut lo tochel<sup>4</sup>:
English
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and lessons of kindness are always on her tongue. She watches the conduct of her household and makes sure that they follow the path of Torah. She does not take a long time to eat her bread; she is not lazy.<sup>4</sup>
Hebrew
קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ, בַּעְלָהּ
וַיְהַלְלָהּ: רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ
חָיִל, וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל כֻּלָּנָה:
שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, אִשָּׁה
יִרְאַת יְיָ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל: תְּנוּ
לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ, וִיהַלְלוּהָ
בַשְּׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ:
Sephardi
Kamu vanehah va-ye’ashruhah, ba’lah
va-yehalelah: rabot banot asu
chayil, ve-at alit al kullanah:
Sheker ha-chen ve-hevel ha-yofi, ishah
yir'at Adonai hi tit-halal: tenu
lah mi-peri yadehah, vi-haleluhah
va-she’arim ma’asehah:
English
Her children get up and praise her. Her husband praises her with the following compliments: There are many daughters who have done excellent things, but you are far better than all of them. Charm is misleading, and beauty is nothing to be valued, but a woman who fears the Lord is worthy of being praised. The father tells his children to give praise to their mother for her accomplishments. The important people who sit at the gates will praise her for everything she has done.