Proverbs 31
1 These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
2 What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
3 Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
5 lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
8 Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'
10 A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
12 She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
15 She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
16 She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
18 She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23 Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
29 “Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
31 Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
