Pro 31 | LSB | STEP | The words of King Lemuel, the oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:

Proverbs 31

A Mother’s Oracle

1 The words of King Lemuel, the ^{▼▼Or burden}oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:

2 What, O my son?
And what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?
3 Do not give your excellence to women,
Or your ways to that which blots out kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,
And pervert the justice of all the ^{▼▼Lit sons of affliction}afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those whose soul is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty
And he will not remember his trouble any longer.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
For the justice of all those ^{▼▼Lit sons of passing away}passing away.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And render justice to the afflicted and needy.

A Woman Who Fears Yahweh

Aleph

10 ^{▼▼Lit a woman of excellence, a woman of strength}An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above pearls.
Beth

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
Gimel

12 She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil
All the days of her life.
Daleth

13 She searches for wool and flax
And works with her ^{▼▼Lit palms}hands ^{▼▼Or willingly}in delight.
He

14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
Vav

15 And she rises while it is still night,
And gives ^{▼▼Lit prey}food to her household
And a ^{▼▼Or prescribed task}portion to her young women.
Zayin

16 She makes plans for a field and buys it;
From the fruit of her ^{▼▼Lit palms}hands she plants a vineyard.
Heth

17 She girds ^{▼▼Lit her loins}herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
Teth

18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
Yodh

19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her ^{▼▼Lit palms}hands hold fast the spindle.
Kaph

20 She ^{▼▼Lit spreads out her palm}extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
Lamedh

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Mem

22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Nun

23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits with the elders of the land.
Samekh

24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And gives belts to the ^{▼▼Lit Canaanite}tradesmen.
Ayin

25 Strength and majesty are her clothing,
And she smiles at the ^{▼▼Lit latter days}future.
Pe

26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the ^{▼▼Or law}instruction of lovingkindness is on her tongue.
Tsadhe

27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of ^{▼▼Lit being a sluggard}idleness.
Qoph

28 Her children rise up and bless her;
As for her husband, he also praises her, saying:
Resh

29 “Many daughters have done excellently,
But you have gone above them all.”
Shin

30 ^{▼▼ Lit Gracefulness}Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who ^{▼▼Or reverences}fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
Tav

31 Give to her from the fruit of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.