Proverbs 31
Wise Words of King Lemuel
1 These are the words of King Lemuel, the message his mother taught him:
2 “My son, I gave birth to you. You are the son I prayed for.
3 Don’t waste your strength on women or your time on those who ruin kings.
4 “Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel, and rulers should not desire beer.
5 If they drink, they might forget the law and keep the needy from getting their rights.
6 Give beer to people who are dying and wine to those who are sad.
7 Let them drink and forget their need and remember their misery no more.
8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
9 Speak up and judge fairly, and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Good Wife
10 It is hard to find a good wife, because she is worth more than rubies.
11 Her husband trusts her completely. With her, he has everything he needs.
12 She does him good and not harm for as long as she lives.
13 She looks for wool and flax and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a trader’s ship, bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still dark and prepares food for her family and feeds her servant girls.
16 She inspects a field and buys it. With money she earned, she plants a vineyard.
17 She does her work with energy, and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that what she makes is good. Her lamp burns late into the night.
19 She makes thread with her hands and weaves her own cloth.
20 She welcomes the poor and helps the needy.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows, because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes coverings for herself; her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
23 Her husband is known at the city meetings, where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
24 She makes linen clothes and sells them and provides belts to the merchants.
25 She is strong and is respected by the people. She looks forward to the future with joy.
26 She speaks wise words and teaches others to be kind.
27 She watches over her family and never wastes her time.
28 Her children speak well of her. Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “There are many fine women, but you are better than all of them.”
30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned; she should be praised in public for what she has done.
Proverbs 31
The Words of Lemuel
1 The words of King Lemuel,s
an oraclet that his mother taught him:
2 Ot my son, O son of my womb,
O sont of my vows,
3 Do not give your strengths to women,
nor your wayss to that which ruinst kings.
4 It is not for kings,t O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,s
or for rulers to crave strong drink,tt
5 lest they drink and forget what is decreed,
and removet from all the poort their legal rights.s
6 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,s
and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;t
7 let themt drink and forgett their poverty,
and remember their misery no more.
8 Open your mouths on behalf of those unable to speak,s
for the legal rights of all the dying.t
9 Open your mouth, judge in righteousness,t
and plead the causes of the poor and needy.
The Wife of Noble Character
10 Who can finds a wifet of noble character?t
For her values is far more than rubies.
11 The heart of her husband has confidencet in her,
and he has no lack of gain.s
12 She brings himt good and not evils
all the days of her life.
13 She obtainst wool and flax,
and she is pleased to work with her hands.t
14 She is liket the merchant ships;s
she brings her food from afar.
15 She also gets upt while it is still night,
and provides foods for her household and a portions to her female servants.
16 She considersts a field and buys it;
from her own incomet she plants a vineyard.
17 She beginstt her work vigorously,
and she strengthenss her arms.
18 She knowsts that her merchandise is good,
and her lamps does not go out in the night.
19 Her handsts take holdt of the distaff,
and her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extendss her handt to the poor,
and reaches out her hand to the needy.
21 She is nott afraid of the snows for her household,
for all of her household are clothed with scarlet.t
22 She makes for herself coverlets;t
her clothing is fine linen and purple.s
23 Her husband is well-knownt in the city gatets
when he sits with the elderst of the land.
24 She makes linen garmentsts and sells them,
and supplies the merchantst with sashes.
25 She is clotheds with strengtht and honor,s
and she can laughs at the timet to come.
26 She opens her mouthts with wisdom,
and loving instructiont is on her tongue.
27 She watches overt the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.s
28 Her children rise upts and call her blessed,
her husbandt also praises her:
29 “Manyt daughterst have done valiantly,t
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceitfult and beauty is fleeting,s
but a woman who fears the Lords will be praised.
31 Givet her credit for what she has accomplished,t
and let her works praise hers in the city gates.t