Proverbs 31

The Oracle of King Lemuel

31The words of Lemuel, the king—an oracle

that his mother taught him:

²What, my son? And what, my son in my womb?

And what, son of my vows?

³Do not give your strength to the women,

and your ways to destroy kings.

⁴It is not for the kings, O Lemuel;

drinking wine is not for the kings,

nor is strong drink for rulers.

⁵Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed,

and he will pervert the rights^a of all the afflicted.^b

⁶Give strong drink to him who is perishing,

and wine to those in bitter distress.^c

⁷He will drink and forget his poverty,

and his misery he will not remember any more.

⁸Open your mouth for the mute,

for the rights^d of all the needy.^e

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteousness,

and defend the poor and needy.

An Excellent Woman^f

¹⁰A woman^g of excellence,^h who will find?

For her worth is far more than precious jewels.

¹¹The heart of her husbandⁱ trusts in her,

and gain he will not lack.

¹²She does him good, but not harm

all the days of her life.

¹³She seeks wool and flax,

and she works with the diligence of her hands.^j

¹⁴She is like the ships of a merchant;

from far off she brings her food;^k

¹⁵And she arises while it is still night,

and gives food to her household,

and tasks to her servant girls.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it,

from the fruit of her hand^l she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds her waist in strength,

and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She perceives that her merchandise is good;

her lamp does not go out in the night.

¹⁹Her hands she puts onto the distaff,^m

and her palms hold a spindle.

²⁰Her palm she opens to the poor,

and her hand she reaches out to the needy.

²¹She does not fear for her house when it snows,

for her entire householdⁿ is clothed in crimson.

²²She makes for herself coverings;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband^o is known at the gates,

in his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴Linen garments she makes and sells,

and she supplies sashes for the merchants.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the future.^p

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.

²⁷She looks after the ways of her household,

and the bread of idleness she will not eat.

²⁸Her children rise and consider her happy,

her husband^q also, and he praises her;

²⁹“Many daughters have done excellence,^r

but you surpass^s all of them.”

³⁰Charm^t is deceit and beauty^u is vain;^v

but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.

³¹Give to her from the fruit of her hand,

and may they praise her works in the city gates.