Proverbs 31

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle which his mother taught him.

²What, my son? and what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

³Give not thy strength unto women,

Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;

Nor for princes to say , Where is strong drink?

⁵Lest they drink, and forget the law,

And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,

And wine unto the bitter in soul:

⁷Let him drink, and forget his poverty,

And remember his misery no more.

⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb,

In the cause of all such as are left desolate.

⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously,

And minister justice to the poor and needy.

¹⁰A worthy woman who can find?

For her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusteth in her,

And he shall have no lack of gain.

¹²She doeth him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

¹³She seeketh wool and flax,

And worketh willingly with her hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant-ships;

She bringeth her bread from afar.

¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night,

And giveth food to her household,

And their task to her maidens.

¹⁶She considereth a field, and buyeth it;

With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength,

And maketh strong her arms.

¹⁸She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable;

Her lamp goeth not out by night.

¹⁹She layeth her hands to the distaff,

And her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor;

Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household;

For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²⁴She maketh linen garments and selleth them,

And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing;

And she laugheth at the time to come.

²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household,

And eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up, and call her blessed;

Her husband also , and he praiseth her, saying :

²⁹Many daughters have done worthily,

But thou excellest them all.

³⁰Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;

But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands;

And let her works praise her in the gates.