1 W ords of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:

The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

2 ` What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?

3 G ive not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.

Do not give your strength to women, Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4 N ot for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink;

5 L est he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

6 G ive strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,

Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

7 H e drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.

Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.

8 O pen thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.

Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.

9 O pen thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'

Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. The Virtuous Wife

10 A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies her price.

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

11 T he heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.

The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.

12 S he hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.

She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

13 S he hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh her hands.

She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.

14 S he hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.

She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.

15 Y ea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.

She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.

16 S he hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.

She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.

17 S he hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.

She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.

18 S he hath perceived when her merchandise good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.

She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.

19 H er hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.

She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.

20 H er hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.

She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 S he is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed scarlet.

She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.

22 O rnamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple her clothing.

She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 K nown in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

24 L inen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.

She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.

25 S trength and honour her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.

Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.

26 H er mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness on her tongue.

She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 S he watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.

She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 H er sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

29 ` Many the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'

“Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”

30 T he grace false, and the beauty vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 G ive ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!

Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.