Proverbs 31

1. ¹The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him:
2. ²What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?
3. ³Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.
4. ⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [supplied: to say], Where is the strong drink?
5. ⁵-- lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the children of affliction.
6. ⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter of soul:
7. ⁷let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8. ⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all those that are left desolate.
9. ⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and minister justice to the afflicted and needy.
10. ¹⁰Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.
11. ¹¹The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil.
12. ¹²She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13. ¹³She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14. ¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships: she bringeth her food from afar;
15. ¹⁵And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens.
16. ¹⁶She considereth a field, and acquireth it; of the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17. ¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and maketh strong her arms.
18. ¹⁸She perceiveth that her earning is good; her lamp goeth not out by night.
19. ¹⁹She putteth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
20. ²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the afflicted, and she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21. ²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22. ²²She maketh herself coverlets; her clothing is byssus and purple.
23. ²³Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24. ²⁴She maketh body linen and selleth it, and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25. ²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laugheth [supplied: at] the coming day.
26. ²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and upon her tongue is the law of kindness.
27. ²⁷She surveyeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28. ²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband [supplied: also], and he praiseth her:
29. ²⁹Many daughters have done worthily, but thou excellest them all.
30. ³⁰Gracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman [supplied: that] feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
31. ³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Words in italics were supplied by the translators.

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