Proverbs 31
1 The words of King Lemuel—an instruction his mother taught him.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son? What is it, son of my womb? What do you want, 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 Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to those who destroy 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, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 because when they drink they forget what has been decreed, and pervert the rights 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 to a person who is perishing and wine to those in bitter distress.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 He will drink and he will forget his poverty and he will not remember his trouble.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Speak for those who cannot speak, for the causes of all who are perishing.
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 Speak out and judge by the measure of what is right and plead the cause of poor and needy people.
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 wife? Her value is far more than jewels.
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 trusts in her, and he will never be poor.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 She does good things for him 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 selects wool and flax, and works with the delight of her hands.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from far away.
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 rises while it is night and gives food to her household, and she distributes the work for her female servants.
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 considers a field and buys it, with the fruit of her hands she plants 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 dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 She perceives what will make a good profit for her; all night long her lamp is not extinguished.
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 puts her hands on the spindle, and she holds the twisting thread.
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 reaches out with her hand to poor people; she reaches out with her hands to needy people.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, 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 She makes coverings for her bed, and she wears clothes of fine purple linen.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits 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 makes linen garments and sells them, and she supplies sashes to the merchants.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 She is clothed with strength and honor, and she laughs at the time 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 opens 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 watches over the ways of her household and does not eat 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 call her blessed, and her husband praises her, saying,
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 “Many women have done well, but you surpassed them all.”
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Elegance is deceptive, beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Yahweh, she will 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 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.
