Proverbs 31:1-20

¹The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.

²What am I to say to you, O Lemuel, my oldest son? and what, O son of my body? and what, O son of my oaths?

³Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to take wine, or for rulers to say, Where is strong drink?

⁵For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.

⁶Give strong drink to him who is near to destruction, and wine to him whose soul is bitter:

⁷Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.

⁸Let your mouth be open for those who have no voice, in the cause of those who are ready for death.

⁹Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.

¹⁰Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.

¹¹The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure.

¹²She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.

¹³She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.

¹⁴She is like the trading-ships, getting food from far away.

¹⁵She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls.

¹⁶After looking at a field with care, she gets it for a price, planting a vine-garden with the profit of her work.

¹⁷She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸She sees that her marketing is of profit to her: her light does not go out by night.

¹⁹She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel.

²⁰Her hands are stretched out to the poor; yes, she is open-handed to those who are in need.