Proverbs 31
1 The words given to King Lemuel; the prophecy which his mother taught him.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 What, O my son! and what, O son of my womb! Yea, what, O son of my vows! [[shall I say to thee?]]
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 thy strength to women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth 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 It is not for kings, O Lemuel! It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes to desire strong drink;
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the rights of any of 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 to him who is ready to perish, And wine to him that hath a heavy heart;
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery 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, In the cause of every orphan!
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 maintain 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 capable woman? Her worth is far above pearls.
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 trusteth in her, And he is in no want of gain.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 She doeth him good, and not evil, 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 wool and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 She is like the merchants' ships; She bringeth her food from afar.
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 She riseth while it is yet night, And giveth food to her family, 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 layeth a plan for 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 her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 She perceiveth how pleasant is her gain, And her lamp is not extinguished in the 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 putteth forth her hands to the distaff, And her hands take hold of the spindle.
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 her hand to the poor, Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 She hath no fear for her household on account of the snow, For all her household are clothed with crimson.
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 She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is of fine linen and purple.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Her husband is known in the gates, 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 She maketh linen garments and selleth them, And delivereth girdles to the merchant.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing; And she laugheth at the days to come.
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 kind instruction is upon 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 eateth not the bread of idleness.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Her children rise up, and extol her; Her husband, and praiseth her, [[saving, ]]
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 Grace is deceitful, and beauty vain; But the woman that feareth the LORD, she shall 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 ye her of the fruit of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
