< Proverbs 31 >
1 THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
5 Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.