| Prov. 31:1 |
The words of King Lemuel. The oracle which his mother taught him. |
| Prov. 31:2 |
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? / And what, O son of my vows? |
| Prov. 31:3 |
Do not give your strength to women, / Nor your ways to that which destroys kings. |
| Prov. 31:4 |
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; / Nor for princes [to say,] Where is strong drink? |
| Prov. 31:5 |
Lest they drink and forget what is decreed, / And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. |
| Prov. 31:6 |
Give strong drink [rather] to one who is perishing, / And wine to the bitter in soul; |
| Prov. 31:7 |
Let him drink and forget his poverty, / And remember his misery no more. |
| Prov. 31:8 |
Open your mouth for the dumb, / [And] for the rights of all those who are passing away. |
| Prov. 31:9 |
Open your mouth; judge righteously, / And minister justice to the poor and needy. |
| Prov. 31:10 |
Who can find a worthy woman? / For her price is far above corals. |
| Prov. 31:11 |
The heart of her husband trusts in her, / And he will have no lack of gain. |
| Prov. 31:12 |
She does him good and not evil / All the days of her life. |
| Prov. 31:13 |
She seeks wool and flax, / And delights to work with her hands. |
| Prov. 31:14 |
She is like the merchant ships; / She brings her food from afar. |
| Prov. 31:15 |
She rises also while it is still night / And gives food to her household, / And [their] task to her [serving] girls. |
| Prov. 31:16 |
She considers a field and buys it; / With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. |
| Prov. 31:17 |
She girds her loins with strength / And makes strong her arms. |
| Prov. 31:18 |
She samples her merchandise [to be sure] it is good; / Her lamp does not go out by night. |
| Prov. 31:19 |
She lays her hands to the distaff, / And her hands hold on to the spindle. |
| Prov. 31:20 |
She stretches out her hand to the afflicted, / And she reaches out her hands to the needy. |
| Prov. 31:21 |
She does not fear for her household when it snows, / For all her household are clothed with scarlet. |
| Prov. 31:22 |
She makes coverings for herself; / Her clothing is fine linen and purple. |
| Prov. 31:23 |
Her husband is known in the gates, / When he sits among the elders of the land. |
| Prov. 31:24 |
She makes linen garments and sells them / And delivers girdles to the merchant. |
| Prov. 31:25 |
Strength and dignity are her clothing, / And she happily looks forward to the time to come. |
| Prov. 31:26 |
She opens her mouth with wisdom, / And the law of kindness is on her tongue. |
| Prov. 31:27 |
She watches closely over the ways of her household / And does not eat the bread of idleness. |
| Prov. 31:28 |
Her children rise up and call her blessed; / Her husband [also,] and he praises her, [saying:] |
| Prov. 31:29 |
Many daughters have done worthily, / But you surpass them all. |
| Prov. 31:30 |
Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; / [But] a woman who fears Jehovah, she will be praised. |
| Prov. 31:31 |
Give her of the fruit of her hands, / And let her works praise her in the gates. |