Proverbs 31
31
1The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.
2What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?
3Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
4Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:
5And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.
6Give strong drink to them that are sad: and wine to them that are grieved in mind:
7Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
8Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.
9Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.
10Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
11The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
12She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
14She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
15And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
16She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
18She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
19She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
20She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
21She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.
22She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering.
23Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
24She made fine linen, and sold it, end delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
25Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
26She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
27She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
28Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
29Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
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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