Proverbs 31

The Words of King Lemuel

31The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

²What are you doing, my son?¹ What are you doing, ^fson of my womb?

What are you doing, ^gson of my vows?

³Do ^hnot give your strength to women,

your ways to those ⁱwho destroy kings.

^4jIt is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings ^kto drink wine,

or for rulers to take ^lstrong drink,

⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed

and ^mpervert the rights of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to the one who ⁿis perishing,

and wine to ^othose in bitter distress;²

^7plet them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

^8qOpen your mouth for the mute,

for the rights of all who are destitute.³

⁹Open your mouth, ^rjudge righteously,

^sdefend the rights of ^tthe poor and needy.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

^{104 u}An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than ^vjewels.

¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

¹²She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

¹³She ^wseeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

¹⁴She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

¹⁵She ^xrises while it is yet night

and ^yprovides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She ^zdresses herself⁵ with strength

and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰She ^aopens her hand to ^bthe poor

and reaches out her hands to ^bthe needy.

²¹She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in ^cscarlet.⁶

²²She makes ^dbed coverings for herself;

her clothing is ^efine linen and ^fpurple.

²³Her husband is known in ^gthe gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes ^hlinen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

²⁵ⁱStrength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹“Many ^jwomen have done ^kexcellently,

but you surpass them all.”

^30lCharm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.