Proverbs 31

¹Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: ²‘What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? ³Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings. ⁴Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. ⁵Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. ⁶Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul, ⁷He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. ⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change. ⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!’

¹⁰A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies is her price. ¹¹The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not. ¹²She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life. ¹³She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh with her hands. ¹⁴She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. ¹⁵Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels. ¹⁶She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. ¹⁷She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms. ¹⁸She hath perceived when her merchandise is good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. ¹⁹Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff. ²⁰Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy. ²¹She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. ²²Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple are her clothing. ²³Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land. ²⁴Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant. ²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day. ²⁶Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness is on her tongue. ²⁷She is watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not. ²⁸Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her, ²⁹‘Many are the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.’ ³⁰The grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself. ³¹Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!

Chapter 1