A Mother’s Oracle

¹The words of King Lemuel, the oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:[#31:1 Or burden]

²¶What, O my son?

And what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

³Do not give your excellence to women,

Or your ways to that which blots out kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

It is not for kings to drink wine,

Or for rulers to desire strong drink,

⁵Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,

And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to him who is perishing,

And wine to those whose soul is bitter.

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty

And he will not remember his trouble any longer.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute,

For the justice of all those passing away.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And render justice to the afflicted and needy.

A Woman Who Fears Yahweh

¹⁰¶An excellent wife, who can find?[#31:10 Lit a woman of excellence , a woman of strength]

For her worth is far above pearls.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

¹²She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil

All the days of her life.

¹³She searches for wool and flax

And works with her hands in delight.

¹⁴She is like merchant ships;

She brings her food from afar.

¹⁵And she rises while it is still night,

And gives food to her household

And a portion to her young women.

¹⁶She makes plans for a field and buys it;

From the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds herself with strength[#31:17 Lit her loins]

And makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;

Her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,

And her hands hold fast the spindle.

²⁰She extends her hand to the poor,[#31:20 Lit spreads out her palm]

And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

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

For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for herself;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sits with the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them ,

And gives belts to the tradesmen.

²⁵Strength and majesty are her clothing,

And she smiles at the future.

²⁶She opens her mouth in wisdom,

And the instruction of lovingkindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;

As for her husband, he also praises her, saying :

²⁹“Many daughters have done excellently,

But you have gone above them all.”

³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,[#31:30 Lit Gracefulness]

But a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

³¹Give to her from the fruit of her hands,

And let her works praise her in the gates.