Proverbs 31
1 The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
THE WORDS OF KING LEMUEL: The prophecie which his mother taught him.
2 “Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!
What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!
3 Don’t give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,
5 lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.
6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”
Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.
10 Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.
Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her. He shall have no lack of gain.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.
12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands.
She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.
14 She is like the merchant ships. She brings her bread from afar.
She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.
15 She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.
And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.
16 She considers a field, and buys it. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.
17 She arms her waist with strength, and makes her arms strong.
She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.
19 She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.
20 She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.
22 She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.
23 Her husband is respected in the gates, when he sits amongst the elders of the land.
Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and delivers sashes to the merchant.
She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come.
Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,
29 “Many women do noble things, but you excel them all.”
Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praysed.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands! Let her works praise her in the gates!
Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.
