Proverbs 31
1 These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 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].
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
5 If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 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.
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 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.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
10 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.
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 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.
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 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.
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 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.
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 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.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 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.
Her husband is known at the city gate, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 [He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 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.
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
