Proverbs 31
1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy with which his mother instructed him.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 What [hast thou done], O my son: and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my vows?
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 Give not unto women thy vigor, nor thy ways to those that ruin kings.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
4 Not for kings, O Lemoel, not for kings [it is fitting] to drink wine, nor for princes, strong drink:
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 Lest either might drink, and forget what is written in the law, and pervert the cause of all the afflicted.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those who have an embittered soul.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Let such a one drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble no more.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all fatherless children.
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and decide the cause of the poor and needy.
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Who can find a virtuous woman: for far above pearls is her value.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he will not see his gain diminish.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 She treateth him well and not ill, all the days of her life.
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh for wool and flax, and worketh with her willing hands.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 She is become like the merchant's ships: from afar doth she bring her food.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
15 And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth provision to her household, and a task to her maidens.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
16 She thinketh of a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 She girdeth with strength her loins, and giveth vigor to her arms.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 She perceiveth that her profit is good: [therefore] her lamp goeth not out by night.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 She stretcheth out her hands to the spindle, and her palms hold fast the distaff.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 She spreadeth out wide her open palm to the poor: yea, her hands she stretcheth forth to the needy.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 She hath no fear for her household of the snow: for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
22 Tapestry-covering she maketh for herself: of linen and purple is her attire.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Well known is in the gates her husband, when he sitteth with the elders of the land.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
24 Fine tunics she maketh, and selleth them, and girdles she furnisheth unto the merchant.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing: and she smileth at the coming of the last day.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness she doth not eat.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praiseth her:
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 “Many daughters have done virtuously; but thou excellest them all.”
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 False is grace, and vain is beauty: a woman only that feareth the Lord shall indeed be praised.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
