İstanbul Duo - Eternity And A Day & By The Sea (Eleni Karaindrou)

"אשת חיל" - משלי ל"א
Woman of Valor - Proverbs

לחן: עממי
Music: Folk

Arrangement, percussion & vocals: A.O. Benita
עיבוד מוזיקלי, כלי הקשה ושירה: איילת אורי בניטה

Original lyrics, transliteration, translation: (the ending part see in comment)

אֵשֶׁת חַֽיִל מִי יִמְצָא,
וְרָחֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ.
בָּֽטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ,
 וְשָׁלָל לֹא יֶחְסָר.

Eshet chayil mee yimtza 
Verachok mi’pninim michra
Batach ba lev baala 
Veshalal lo yechsar 

A woman of valor, who can find?
Far beyond pearls is her value.
Her husband's heart trusts in her 
and he shall lack no fortune

גְּמָלַֽתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא רָע,
 כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּֽיהָ. 
דָּרְשָֽׁה צֶֽמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים,
 וַתַּֽעַשׂ בְּחֵֽפֶץ כַּפֶּֽיהָ. 

Gemelat’hu tov velo ra 
Kol yemay chayeha
Darsha tzemer ufishtim 
Vatas bechefetz kapeha

She repays his good, but never
his harm, all the days of her life. 
She seeks out wool and linen,
and her hands work willingly


הָיְתָה כָׇּאֳנִיּוֹת סוֹחֵר,
 מִמֶּרְחָק תָּבִיא לַחְמָהּ. 
וַתָּֽקׇׇם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה,
 וַתִּתֵּֽן טֶֽרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַֽעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ.

Hayta ka’aniyot socher, 
Memerchak tavee lachma
Vatakem be’od layla, 
Vateeten teref levayta vechok lenaroteha 

She is like a merchant's ships; 
from afar she brings her sustenance
She rises while it is still nighttime, 
and gives food to her household  
and a ration to her maids


זָמְמָה שׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵֽהוּ,
 מִפְּרִי כַפֶּֽיהָ נָטְעָה כָּֽרֶם. 
חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מׇתְנֶֽיהָ,
 וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעֹתֶֽיהָ.

Zamema sadeh vatikacheyhu, 
Mepree chapeha nata karem
Chagra b’oz matneha, 
Vateametz zro’oteha 

She considers a field and buys it
from the fruit of her handiwork she plants a vineyard
She girds her loins
with might and strengthens her arms


טָֽעֲמָה כִּי טוֹב סַחְרָהּ,
 לֹא יִכְבֶּה בַלַּֽיְלָה נֵרָהּ. 
יָדֶֽיהָ שִׁלְּחָה בַכִּישׁוֹר,
 וְכַפֶּֽיהָ תָּֽמְכוּ פָֽלֶךְ.

Ta’ama kee tov sachra
Lo yichbe balayla neyra
Yadeha shilcha bekishor,
Vechapeha tamchu falech

She senses that her enterprise is good
so her lamp is not extinguished at night.
She puts her hand to the distaff,
and her palms support the spindle

כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשׂה לֶעָנִי,
 וְיָדֶֽיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן. 
לֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּֽׁלֶג,
 כִּי כׇל־בֵּיתָהּ לָבֻשׁ שָׁנִים. 

Kapa parsa le’ani
Veyadeha shilcha le’evyon
Lo tira levayta meshaleg
Kee chol vayta lavush shanim

She spreads out her palm to the poor
and extends her hands to the destitute.
She fears not snow for her household,
for her entire household is clothed with scarlet wool

מַרְבַדִּים עָשׂתָה־לָּהּ,
 שֵׁשׁ וְאַרְגָּמָן לְבוּשָׁהּ. 
נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ,
 בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי־אָרֶץ

Marvadim as’ta la,
Shesh várgaman levusha
Noda bashearim ba’la,
Beshivto im ziknei aretz

Bedspreads she makes herself
linen and purple wool are her clothing.
Well-known at the gates is her husband
as he sits with the elders of the land


סָדִין עָשׂתָה וַתִּמְכֹּר,
 וַחֲגוֹר נָתְנָה לַכְּנַעֲנִי.
עוֹז וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ,
 וַתִּשׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן

Sadin as’ta vatimkor
Vachagor natna laknani
Oz vehadar levusha,
Vatischak leyom acharon 

Garments she makes and sells, and
she delivers a belt to the peddler
Strength and splendor are her clothing,
and smilingly she awaits her last day


פִּֽיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחׇכְמָה,
 וְתֽוֹרַת חֶֽסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ:
צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ,
 וְלֶֽחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל:

Piha patcha bechachma,
Vetorat chesed al leshona
Tzofiya halichot bayta
Velechem atzlut lo tocheil

She opens her mouth with Wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She anticipates the needs of her household,
and the bread of idleness, she does not eat

(continuation see in comment)

Lyrics source:
http://www.zemirotdatabase.org/view_song.php?id=92

Transliteration & translation source:
http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_cdo/aid/265772/jewish/Eishes-Chayil.htm

Official video: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gXJwGB_0tc

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