Proverbs 31
31
Wise Words for a King
1These are the wise sayings that King Lemuel’s mother taught him:
2I prayed for a son, and you are the son I gave birth to. 3Don’t waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don’t waste yourself on them. 4Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer. 5They may drink too much and forget what the law says. Then they might take away the rights of the poor. 6Give beer to people without hope. Give wine to those who are in trouble. 7Let them drink to forget their troubles. Let them forget they are poor.
8Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble. 9Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly. Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.
The Perfect Wife
10 # 31:10-31 In Hebrew, each verse of this poem starts with the next letter of the alphabet, so this poem shows all the good qualities of a woman “from A to Z.” How hard it is to find the perfect wife.#31:10 the perfect wife Or “a noble woman.”
She is worth far more than jewels.
11Her husband depends on her.
He will never be poor.
12She does good for her husband all her life.
She never causes him trouble.
13She is always gathering wool and flax#31:13 flax A plant used to make linen cloth.
and enjoys making things with her hands.
14She is like a ship from a faraway place.
She brings home food from everywhere.
15She wakes up early in the morning,
cooks food for her family, and gives the servants their share.
16She looks at land and buys it.
She uses the money she has earned and plants a vineyard.
17She works very hard.
She is strong and able to do all her work.
18She works late into the night
to make sure her business earns a profit.
19She makes her own thread
and weaves her own cloth.
20She always gives to the poor
and helps those who need it.
21She does not worry about her family when it snows.
She has given them all good, warm clothes.
22She makes sheets and spreads for the beds,
and she wears clothes of fine linen.
23Her husband is a respected member of the city council,
where he meets with the other leaders.
24She makes clothes and belts
and sells them to the merchants.
25She is a strong person,#31:25 She is a strong person Or “She is praised.” and people respect her.
She looks to the future with confidence.
26She speaks with wisdom
and teaches others to be loving and kind.
27She oversees the care of her house.
She is never lazy.
28Her children say good things about her.
Her husband brags about her and says,
29“There are many good women,
but you are the best.”
30Grace and beauty can fool you,
but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31Give her the reward she deserves.
Praise her in public for what she has done.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Proverbs 31
31
1The words of Lemuel, king of Massa,#Massa: see note on 30:1–6. the instruction his mother taught him:
2What are you doing, my son!#My son: in the Septuagint, “my son, my firstborn.”
what are you doing, son of my womb;
what are you doing, son of my vows!
3Do not give your vigor to women,
or your strength#The Hebrew word here translated “strength” normally means “ways,” but the context and a cognate language support “authority” or “strength” here. to those who ruin kings.
4It is not for kings, Lemuel,
not for kings to drink wine;
strong drink is not for princes,
5Lest in drinking they forget what has been decreed,
and violate the rights of any who are in need.
6Give strong drink to anyone who is perishing,
and wine to the embittered;
7When they drink, they will forget their misery,
and think no more of their troubles.
8Open your mouth in behalf of the mute,
and for the rights of the destitute;
9Open your mouth, judge justly,
defend the needy and the poor!
IX. POEM ON THE WOMAN OF WORTH#An acrostic poem of twenty-two lines; each line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. As with many other acrostic poems in the Bible, the unity of the poem is largely extrinsic, coming not from the narrative logic but from the familiar sequence of letters. The topic is the ideal woman described through her activity as a wife. Some have suggested that the traditional hymn extolling the great deeds of a warrior has been transposed to extol a heroic wife; the focus is on her exploits. She runs a household distinguished by abundant food and clothing for all within, by its trade (import of raw materials and export of finished products), and by the renown of its head, her husband, in the community. At v. 28, the voice is no longer that of the narrator but of her children and husband as they praise her. The purpose of the poem has been interpreted variously: an encomium to offset the sometimes negative portrayal of women in the book, or, more symbolically (and more likely), a portrait of a household ruled by Woman Wisdom and a disciple of Woman Wisdom, i.e., he now has a worthy wife and children, a great household, renown in the community.
10Who can find#Who can find…?: in 20:6 and Eccl 8:1 the question implies that finding such a person is well-nigh impossible. a woman of worth?#Prv 12:4; Sir 26:1–4, 13–18.
Far beyond jewels is her value.
11Her husband trusts her judgment;
he does not lack income.
12She brings him profit, not loss,#Profit, not loss: a commercial metaphor.
all the days of her life.
13She seeks out wool and flax
and weaves with skillful hands.
14Like a merchant fleet,#Like a merchant fleet: she has her eye on the far horizon, like the ship of a merchant ready to bring supplies into her larder. It is the only simile (“like”) in the poem.
she secures her provisions from afar.
15She rises while it is still night,
and distributes food to her household,
a portion to her maidservants.
16She picks out a field and acquires it;
from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17She girds herself with strength;
she exerts her arms with vigor.#The metaphor of clothing oneself is used to show the woman’s readiness. One can gird on weapons of war and might and splendor (Ps 69:7; Is 52:9).
18She enjoys the profit from her dealings;
her lamp is never extinguished at night.#Her lamp is never extinguished at night: indicates abundance of productive work and its accompanying prosperity; cf. 20:20; Jb 18:6.
19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle.#The wife weaves linen cloth from flax and wool from fleece, which she cultivated according to v. 13. Distaff: staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool, which in spinning was drawn out and twisted into yarn or thread by the spindle or round stick.
20She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
21She is not concerned for her household when it snows—
all her charges are doubly clothed.
22She makes her own coverlets;
fine linen and purple are her clothing.
23Her husband is prominent at the city gates
as he sits with the elders of the land.#The husband is mentioned for the first time since vv. 10–12 but as “her husband.” He will not be mentioned again until v. 28, where he praises her.
24She makes garments and sells them,
and stocks the merchants with belts.
25She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and laughs at the days to come.#Laughs at the days to come: anticipates the future with joy, free of anxiety.
26She opens her mouth in wisdom;
kindly instruction is on her tongue.
27She watches over#Watches over: Hebrew ṣopiyyâ, perhaps a pun on the Greek sophia (= wisdom). Bread of idleness: she does not eat from the table of others but from her own labors. the affairs of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband, too, praises her:
29“Many are the women of proven worth,
but you have excelled them all.”
30Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.#The true charm of this woman is her religious spirit, for she fears the Lord; cf. note on 1:7.
31Acclaim her for the work of her hands,
and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.
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