Proverbs 31:1-16

¹The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy with which his mother instructed him.

²What hast thou done, O my son: and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my vows?

³Give not unto women thy vigor, nor thy ways to those that ruin kings.

⁴Not for kings, O Lemoel, not for kings it is fitting to drink wine, nor for princes, strong drink:

⁵Lest either might drink, and forget what is written in the law, and pervert the cause of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those who have an embittered soul.

⁷Let such a one drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his trouble no more.

⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all fatherless children.

⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and decide the cause of the poor and needy.

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman: for far above pearls is her value.

¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he will not see his gain diminish.

¹²She treateth him well and not ill, all the days of her life.

¹³She seeketh for wool and flax, and worketh with her willing hands.

¹⁴She is become like the merchant's ships: from afar doth she bring her food.

¹⁵And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth provision to her household, and a task to her maidens.

¹⁶She thinketh of a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.