Chapter 31

  Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:  

--

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

--

  Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.  

--

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

--

  Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.  

--

  Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,  

--

  He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.  

--

  Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.  

--

  Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'  

--

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

--

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

--

  She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.  

--

  She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.  

--

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

--

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

--

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

--

  She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.  

--

  She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.  

--

  Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.  

--

  Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.  

--

  She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.  

--

  Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.  

--

  Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.  

--

  Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.  

--

  Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.  

--

  Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.  

--

  She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.  

--

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

--

  'Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'  

--

  The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.  

--

  Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!  

--