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

The words of king Lemuel; the revelation which his mother taught him.

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

“Oh, my son! Oh, son of my womb! Oh, son of my vows!

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

Don’t 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, Lemuel; it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, ‘Where is strong 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 due to anyone who is afflicted.

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

Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish; and wine to the bitter in soul:

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 mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.

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

Open your mouth, judge righteously, and serve justice to the poor and needy.”

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

Who can find a worthy woman? For her price 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 trusts in her. He shall 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 harm, 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 works eagerly 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 bread from afar.

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

She rises also while it is yet night, gives food to her household, and portions for her servant girls.

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. With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.

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

She arms her waist 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 perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.

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

She lays her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

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

She opens her arms to the poor; yes, she extends 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 the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

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

She makes for herself carpets of tapestry. 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 respected 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 delivers sashes to the merchant.

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

Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the 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. Faithful instruction 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 her household, and doesn’t 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 praises her:

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

“Many women do noble things, 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 vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, 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! Let her works praise her in the gates!