Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31

¹The words of king Lemuel; the oracle 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.”

¹⁰ *Who can find a worthy woman?

For her price 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 among 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.

Faithful 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 Yahweh, she shall be praised.

³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands!

Let her works praise her in the gates!