Proverbs 31
1 THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
Words of Lemuel, a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
2 What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
“What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
3 Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
Do not give your strength to women, And your ways to wiping away of 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, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes—a desire of strong drink.
5 Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
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 perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
7 Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
He drinks, and forgets his poverty, And he does not remember his misery again.
8 Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
Open your mouth for the mute, For the right of all sons of change.
9 Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!”
10 Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
[ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
The heart of her husband has trusted in her, And he does not lack spoil.
12 She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
She has done him 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 with delight she works [with] her hands.
14 She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
She has been as ships of the merchant, She brings in her bread from afar.
15 And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
Indeed, she rises while yet night, And gives food to her household, And a portion to her girls.
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 takes it, She has planted a vineyard from the fruit of her hands.
17 She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
She has girded her loins with might, And strengthens her arms.
18 She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
She has perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
19 She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
She has sent forth her hands on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
She has spread forth her hand to the poor, Indeed, she sent forth her hands to the needy.
21 She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
22 She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
She has made ornamental coverings for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
23 Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
Her husband is known in the gates, In his sitting with [the] elderly of [the] land.
24 She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
She has made linen garments, and sells, And she has given a girdle to the merchant.
25 Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
Strength and honor [are] her clothing, And she rejoices at a latter day.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
She has opened her mouth in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
27 She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And she does not eat bread of sloth.
28 Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her blessed, Her husband, and he praises her,
29 Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
“The daughters who have done worthily [are] many, You have gone up above them all.”
30 Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
Favor [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing YHWH, she may boast herself.
31 Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
Give to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works praise her in the gates!
