Proverbs 31

¹The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which his mother instructed him

²“What, O my beloved? What, O beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows

³Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings

⁴Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns

⁵And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor

⁶Give strong drink to the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul

⁷Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more

⁸Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through

⁹Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor

¹⁰Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price

¹¹The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils

¹²She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life

¹³She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands

¹⁴She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away

¹⁵And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids

¹⁶She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard

¹⁷She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm

¹⁸She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night

¹⁹She has put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle

²⁰She has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended her hands to the poor

²¹She shall not fear, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold

²²She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment

²³Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land

²⁴She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite

²⁵Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days

²⁶She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue

²⁷She has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness

²⁸Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her

²⁹Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all

³⁰Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised

³¹Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates