Proverbs 31
1 THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which his mother instructed him:
2 What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
“What, O my beloved? What, O beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows?
3 Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings.
4 It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,
Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns.
5 Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor.
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 the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul.
7 Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through.
9 Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor.
10 Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils.
12 She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands.
14 She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away.
15 And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids.
16 She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.
She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm.
18 She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night.
19 She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
She has put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
She has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended her hands to the poor.
21 She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
She shall not fear, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold.
22 She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment.
23 Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land.
24 She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite.
25 Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
27 She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
She has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness.
28 Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her.
29 Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all.
30 Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised.
31 Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates.
