Proverbs 31
31
1 The words of King Lemuel—the revelation 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.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong drink?’
5 lest they drink, and forget the decree,
and pervert the justice due to anyone who is afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish,
and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
and remember his misery no more.
8 Open your mouth for the mute,
in the cause of all who are left desolate.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
and serve justice to the poor and needy.”
10 # 31:10 Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. Who can find a worthy woman?
For her value is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her.
He shall have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works eagerly with her hands.
14She is like the merchant ships.
She brings her bread from afar.
15 She rises also while it is yet night,
gives food to her household,
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She 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.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
19 She lays her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her arms to the poor;
yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
21 She 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.
23 Her 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.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing.
She laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom.
Kind instruction is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:
29“Many women do noble things,
but you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands!
Let her works praise her in the gates!
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Proverbs 31
31
The Words of King Lemuel
1The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2What are you doing, my son?#31:2 Hebrew What, my son? What are you doing, #Isa. 49:15 son of my womb?
What are you doing, #[1 Sam. 1:27]son of my vows?
3Do #[ch. 5:9] not give your strength to women,
your ways to those #[ch. 7:26; Deut. 17:17; 1 Kgs. 11:1; Neh. 13:26]who destroy kings.
4 #
Eccles. 10:17; [1 Kgs. 16:9; 20:16] It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings #[Hos. 4:11] to drink wine,
or for rulers to take #ch. 20:1strong drink,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and #[Isa. 5:22, 23]pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6Give strong drink to the one who #Job 29:13 is perishing,
and wine to #Job 3:20those in bitter distress;#31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
7 # [Ps. 104:15] let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 #
Job 29:12, 15, 16; [Isa. 1:17] Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.#31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
9Open your mouth, #Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16 judge righteously,
#
Jer. 22:16; [Isa. 1:17] defend the rights of #ver. 20; Ps. 40:17; 86:1the poor and needy.
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
10 # 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet #ch. 12:4; Ruth 3:11; [ch. 18:22; 19:14] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than #Job 28:18jewels.
11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She #[ver. 21, 22, 24]seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15She #[ch. 20:13] rises while it is yet night
and #Luke 12:42; [Ps. 111:5]provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She #[ver. 25]dresses herself#31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20She #[Rom. 12:13; Eph. 4:28] opens her hand to #[ver. 9]the poor
and reaches out her hands to #[ver. 9]the needy.
21She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in #2 Sam. 1:24scarlet.#31:21 Or in double thickness
22She makes #ch. 7:16 bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is #Gen. 41:42; Rev. 19:8, 14 fine linen and #Judg. 8:26purple.
23Her husband is known in #See Ruth 4:1, 2the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes #Judg. 14:12; Isa. 3:23linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 # [ver. 17] Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many #Song 6:9 women have done #[ver. 10]excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 # [ch. 11:16] Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
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