| Chapter 31 |
1 |
Words 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?
|
3 |
Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
|
4 |
Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
|
5 |
Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
|
6 |
Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
|
7 |
He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
|
8 |
Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
|
9 |
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'
|
10 |
A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
|
11 |
The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
|
12 |
She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
|
13 |
She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
|
14 |
She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
|
15 |
Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
|
16 |
She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
|
17 |
She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
|
18 |
She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
|
19 |
Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
|
20 |
Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
|
21 |
She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
|
22 |
Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
|
23 |
Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
|
24 |
Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
|
25 |
Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
|
26 |
Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
|
27 |
She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
|
28 |
Her 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.'
|
30 |
The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
|
31 |
Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
|