¹The words of King Lemuel —the revelation which his mother taught him :

²“Oh, my son !

Oh, son of my womb!

Oh, son of my vows !

³Don’t give your strength to women,

nor your ways to that which destroys kings .

⁴It is not for kings , 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 anyone who is afflicted .

⁶Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish,

and wine to the bitter in soul .

⁷Let him drink , and forget his poverty ,

and remember his misery no more .

⁸Open your mouth for the mute,

in the cause of all who are left desolate.

⁹Open your mouth , judge righteously ,

and serve justice to the poor and needy .”

¹⁰Who can find a worthy woman?[#31:10 Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order.]

For her value is far above rubies .

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her .

He shall have no lack of gain .

¹²She does him good , and not harm ,

all the days of her life .

¹³She seeks wool and flax ,

and works eagerly with her hands .

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships.

She brings her bread from afar .

¹⁵She rises also while it is yet night ,

gives food to her household ,

and portions for her servant girls .

¹⁶She considers a field , and buys it .

With the fruit of her hands , she plants a vineyard .

¹⁷She arms her waist with strength ,

and makes her arms strong .

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp doesn’t go out by night .

¹⁹She lays her hands to the distaff ,

and her hands hold the spindle .

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor ;

yes, she extends 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 for herself carpets of tapestry .

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected in the gates ,

when he sits amongst the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them ,

and delivers sashes to the merchant .

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing .

She laughs at the time to come.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom .

Kind instruction is on her tongue .

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household ,

and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness .

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed.

Her husband also praises her :

²⁹“Many women do noble things ,

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 of the fruit of her hands !

Let her works praise her in the gates !