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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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Proverbs 31
31
1The sayings of King Lemuel, a prophetic revelation, used by his mother to discipline him.
Advice to a Prince
2“What, my son?
What, son to whom I gave birth?
What, son of my prayers?
3Don’t give your strength to women
or your power to those who ruin kings.
4“It is not for kings, Lemuel.
It is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to crave liquor.
5Otherwise, they drink and forget what they have decreed
and change the standard of justice for all oppressed people.
6Give liquor to a person who is dying
and wine to one who feels resentful.
7Such a person drinks
and forgets his poverty
and does not remember his trouble anymore.
8“Speak out for the one who cannot speak,
for the rights of those who are doomed.
9Speak out,
judge fairly,
and defend the rights of oppressed and needy people.”
A Poem in Hebrew Alphabetical Order
10“Who can find a wife with a strong character?
She is worth far more than jewels.
11Her husband trusts her with ⌞all⌟ his heart,
and he does not lack anything good.
12She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life.
13“She seeks out wool and linen ⌞with care⌟
and works with willing hands.
14She is like merchant ships.
She brings her food from far away.
15She wakes up while it is still dark
and gives food to her family
and portions of food to her female slaves.
16“She picks out a field and buys it.
She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned.
17She puts on strength like a belt
and goes to work with energy.
18She sees that she is making a good profit.
Her lamp burns late at night.
19“She puts her hands on the distaff,
and her fingers hold a spindle.
20She opens her hands to oppressed people
and stretches them out to needy people.
21She does not fear for her family when it snows
because her whole family
has a double layer of clothing.
22She makes quilts for herself.
Her clothes are ⌞made of⌟ linen and purple cloth.
23“Her husband is known at the city gates
when he sits with the leaders of the land.
24“She makes linen garments and sells them
and delivers belts to the merchants.
25She dresses with strength and nobility,
and she smiles at the future.
26“She speaks with wisdom,
and on her tongue there is tender instruction.
27She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family,
and she does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children and her husband
stand up and bless her.
In addition, he sings her praises, by saying,
29‘Many women have done noble work,
but you have surpassed them all!’
30“Charm is deceptive, and beauty evaporates,
⌞but⌟ a woman who has the fear of the Lord should be praised.
31Reward her for what she has done,
and let her achievements praise her at the city gates.”
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