Happy Mothers Day! Celebrating the mothers who shaped our world.
No passage in the Book of Mishlei (Proverbs) is more famous than Eishet Chayil (The Woman of Valor), sung on Friday night at homes around the globe. But in the preceding lines of the same chapter (31:1-9) we find an extraordinary tribute to the mother of King Lemuel (a pseudonym for one of the kings of Israel) who rebukes her son for not living up to her expectations. The spirit behind the words of wisdom and compassion spoken by this Jewish mother of ancient Israel rings true for all times.
(א) דִּ֭בְרֵי לְמוּאֵ֣ל מֶ֑לֶךְ מַ֝שָּׂ֗א אֲֽשֶׁר־יִסְּרַ֥תּוּ אִמּֽוֹ׃
(ב) מַה־בְּ֭רִי וּמַֽה־בַּר־בִּטְנִ֑י וּ֝מֶ֗ה בַּר־נְדָרָֽי׃
(ג) אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן לַנָּשִׁ֣ים חֵילֶ֑ךָ וּ֝דְרָכֶ֗יךָ לַֽמְח֥וֹת מְלָכִֽין׃
(ד) אַ֤ל לַֽמְלָכִ֨ים ׀ לְֽמוֹאֵ֗ל אַ֣ל לַֽמְלָכִ֣ים שְׁתוֹ־יָ֑יִן וּ֝לְרוֹזְנִ֗ים (או) [אֵ֣י] שֵׁכָֽר׃
(ה) פֶּן־יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח מְחֻקָּ֑ק וִ֝ישַׁנֶּ֗ה דִּ֣ין כׇּל־בְּנֵי־עֹֽנִי׃
(ו) תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֥ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַ֗יִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃
(ז) יִ֭שְׁתֶּה וְיִשְׁכַּ֣ח רִישׁ֑וֹ וַ֝עֲמָל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יִזְכׇּר־עֽוֹד׃ {פ}
(ח) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ לְאִלֵּ֑ם אֶל־דִּ֝֗ין כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י חֲלֽוֹף׃
(ט) פְּתַח־פִּ֥יךָ שְׁפׇט־צֶ֑דֶק וְ֝דִ֗ין עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ {פ}
1) The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, with which his mother reproved him:
2) No, my son. Oh, no, son of my womb, oh, no, son of my vows.
3) Do not give your vigor to women, nor your ways to destroyers of kings.
4) Not for kings, Lemuel, not for kings, the drinking of wine, nor for rulers, strong drink.
5) Lest he drink and forget inscribed law, and reverse the judgment of all wretched men.
6) Give strong drink to the perishing man and wine to those deeply embittered.
7) Let him drink and forget his privation, and his misery let him no more recall.
8) Open your mouth for the dumb, for the judgment of all fleeting folk.
9) Open your mouth, judge righteously, grant justice to the poor and the wretched.