אֵשֶׁת חַיִל | Eshet Ḥayil, amended by Alex and Peri Sinclair • the Open Siddur Project

Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., acrostic, Alphabetic Acrostic, eros, Feminism, love, Masorti, Modi'in, role models, אשת חיל eshet ḥayil, ישראל Yisrael

Excerpt: Peri and Alex Sinclair's adaptation of the traditional Eishet Ḥayil, replacing a number of verses with ones selected from Shir haShirim (the Song of Songs/Canticles), Genesis, and elsewhere in Mishlei (Proverbs). . . .

Content:

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
אֵשֶׁת חַיִל מִי יִמְצָא וְרָחוֹק מִפְּנִינִים מִכְרָהּ	^א A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies.
בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ וְשָׁלָל לא יֶחְסָר	^ב The heart of her husband does safely trust in her, And he has no lack of gain.
גְּמָלַתְהוּ טוֹב וְלֹא רָע כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיה	^ג She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
דּוֹדִי לִי וַאֲנִי לוֹ הָרוֹעֶה בַּשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים (שיר השירים ב:טז)	^ד My beloved is mine, and I am his, That feeds among the lilies.^[1] Song of Songs 2:16 replaces Proverbs 31:13, “She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.”
הִנָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי הִנָּךְ יָפָה עֵינַיִךְ יוֹנִים (שיר השירים א:טו)	^ה Behold, you are fair, my love; behold, you are fair; Your eyes are as doves.^[2] Song of Songs 1:15 replaces Proverbs 31:14, “She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her food from afar.”
וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד (בראשית ב:כד (חלק))	^ו and [he] shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh^[3] Genesis 2:24 replaces Proverbs 31:15, “She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her maidens.”
זָמְמָה שָׂדֶה וַתִּקָּחֵהוּ מִפְּרִי כַפֶּיהָ נָטְעָה כָּרֶם	^ז She considers a field, and buys it; With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
חָגְרָה בְעוֹז מָתְנֶיהָ וַתְּאַמֵּץ זְרוֹעוֹתֶיהָ	^ח She girds her loins with strength, And makes strong her arms.
טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבֹרָךְ כִּי נָתַן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּל (משלי כב:ט)	^ט He that has a bountiful eye shall be blessed; For he gives of his bread to the poor.^[4] Proverbs 22:9 replaces Proverbs 31:18, “She perceives that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goes not out by night.”
יִשָּׁקֵנִי מִנְּשִׁיקוֹת פִּיהוּ כִּי טוֹבִים דּוֹדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן (שיר השירים א:ב)	^י Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— For your love is better than wine.^[5] Song of Songs 1:2 replaces Proverbs 31:19, “She lays her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.”
כַּפָּהּ פָּרְשָׂה לֶעָנִי וְיָדֶיהָ שִׁלְּחָה לָאֶבְיוֹן	^כ She stretches out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.
לֹא תִירָא לְבֵיתָהּ מִשָּׁלֶג כִּי כָל בֵּיתָהּ לָבוּשׁ שָׁנִים	^ל She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
מַה דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים (שיר השירים ה:ט (חלק))	^מ ’What is your beloved more than another beloved, O you fairest among women?’^[6] Song of Songs 5:9 replaces Proverbs 31:22, “She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעְלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ	^נ Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
סַלְסְלֶהָ וּתְרוֹמְמֶךָּ תְּכַבֵּדְךָ כִּי תְחַבְּקֶנָּה (משלי ד:ח)	^ס Extol her, and she will exalt you; She will bring you to honour, when you will embrace her.^[7] Proverbs 4:8 replaces Proverbs 31:24, “She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”
עֹז וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ וְתִשׂחַק לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן	^ע Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laughs at the time to come.
פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ	^פ She opens her mouth with wisdom; And the Torah of kindness is on her tongue.
צוֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכוֹת בֵּיתָהּ וְלֶחֶם עַצְלוּת לֹא תֹאכֵל	^צ She looks well to the ways of her household, And eats not the bread of idleness.
קָמוּ בָנֶיהָ וַיְאַשְּׁרוּהָ בַּעְלָהּ וַיְהַלְלָהּ	^ק Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
רַבּוֹת בָּנוֹת עָשׂוּ חָיִל וְאַתְּ עָלִית עַל כֻּלָּנָה	^ר ’Many daughters have done valiantly, But you excel them all.’
שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה’ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל	^ש Grace is deceitful, and beauty is fleeting; But a woman in awe of Hashem, she shall be praised.
תְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיָה וִיהַלְלוּהָ בַשְׁעָרִים מַעֲשֶׂיהָ	^ת Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates.

This is an emendation of Eyshet Ḥayil by Alex and Peri Sinclair, replacing a number of verses from Proverbs 31:10-31 with alternate verses from Shir haShirim and other parts of the Tanakh. I’ve set all of the verses side-by-side with an English translation. –Aharon Varady

Notes[+]

Notes
1	Song of Songs 2:16 replaces Proverbs 31:13, “She seeketh wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.”
2	Song of Songs 1:15 replaces Proverbs 31:14, “She is like the merchant-ships; She bringeth her food from afar.”
3	Genesis 2:24 replaces Proverbs 31:15, “She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her maidens.”
4	Proverbs 22:9 replaces Proverbs 31:18, “She perceives that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goes not out by night.”
5	Song of Songs 1:2 replaces Proverbs 31:19, “She lays her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle.”
6	Song of Songs 5:9 replaces Proverbs 31:22, “She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
7	Proverbs 4:8 replaces Proverbs 31:24, “She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.”