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

The words of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him:

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

What, my son? What, son who came from within me? What, son of my promises?

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

Do not give your strength to women, or 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, or for rulers to desire strong drink.

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

Or they might drink and forget the law, and go against the rights of all who are suffering.

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

Give strong drink to him who is about to die, and wine to him whose life is full of trouble.

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

Let him drink and forget how poor he is, and remember his trouble no more.

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

Open your mouth for those who cannot speak, and for the rights of those who are left without help.

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

Open your mouth. Be right and fair in what you decide. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need.

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

Who can find a good wife? For she is worth far more than rubies that make one rich.

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

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will never stop getting good things.

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

She does him good and not bad all the days of her life.

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

She looks for wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

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

She is like ships that trade. She brings her food from far away.

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

She rises while it is still night and makes food for all those in her house. She gives work for the young women to do.

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

She gives careful thought to a field and buys it. She plants grape-vines from what she has earned.

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

She makes herself ready with strength, and makes her arms strong.

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

She sees that what she has earned is good. Her lamp does not go out at night.

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

She puts her hands to the wheel to make cloth.

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

She opens her hand to the poor, and holds out her hands to those in need.

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

She is not afraid of the snow for those in her house, for all of them are dressed in red.

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

She makes coverings for herself. Her clothes are linen cloth 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 leaders of the land.

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

She makes linen clothes and sells them. She brings belts to those who trade.

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

Her clothes are strength and honor. She is full of joy about the future.

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

She opens her mouth with wisdom. The teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

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

She looks well to the ways of those in her house, and does not eat the bread of doing nothing.

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

Her children rise up and honor her. Her husband does also, and he praises her, saying:

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

“Many daughters have done well, but you have done better than all of them.”

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

Pleasing ways lie and beauty comes to nothing, but a woman who fears the Lord will 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 the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.