Proverbs 31

The Words of Lemuel

¹The words of King Lemuel, the pronouncement which his mother taught him:

²¶What, my son?

And what, son of my womb?

And what, son of my vows?

³Do not give your strength to women,

Or your ways to that which destroys kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel,

It is not for kings to drink wine,

Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,

⁵Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,

And pervert the rights of all the needy.

⁶Give intoxicating drink to one who is perishing,

And wine to one whose life is bitter.

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty,

And remember his trouble no more.

⁸Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak,

For the rights of all the unfortunate.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Description of a Worthy Woman

¹⁰¶An excellent wife, who can find her?

For her worth is far above jewels.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

¹³She looks for wool and linen,

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 portions to her attendants.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

From her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She surrounds her waist with strength

And makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She senses that her profit is good;

Her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,[#31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning]

And her hands grasp 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 among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing,

And she smiles at the future.

²⁶She opens her mouth in wisdom,

And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the activities of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

²⁹“Many daughters have done nobly,

But you excel them all.”

³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who fears the Lord , she shall be praised.

³¹Give her the product of her hands,[#31:31 Lit fruit]

And let her works praise her in the gates.