Proverbs 31 (New American Standard Bible)

Proverbs 31

The Words of Lemuel

 ¹The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him:
    ²What, O my son?
         And what, O ^(A)son of my womb?
         And what, O son of my ^(B)vows?
    ^3(C)Do not give your strength to women,
         Or your ways to that which ^(D)destroys kings.
    ⁴It is not for ^(E)kings, O Lemuel,
         It is not for kings to ^(F)drink wine,
         Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
    ⁵For they will drink and forget what is decreed,
         And ^(G)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
    ⁶Give strong drink to him who is ^(H)perishing,
         And wine to him ^(I)whose life is bitter.
    ⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty
         And remember his trouble no more.
    ^8(J)Open your mouth for the mute,
         For the rights of all the unfortunate.
    ⁹Open your mouth, ^(K)judge righteously,
         And defend the ^(L)rights of the afflicted and needy.

Description of a Worthy Woman

    ¹⁰An ^(M)excellent wife, who can find?
         For her worth is far ^(N)above jewels.
    ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
         And he will have no lack of gain.
    ¹²She does him good and not evil
         All the days of her life.
    ¹³She looks for wool and flax
         And works with her hands in delight.
    ¹⁴She is like ^(O)merchant ships;
         She brings her food from afar.
    ¹⁵She ^(P)rises also while it is still night
         And ^(Q)gives food to her household
         And portions to her maidens.
    ¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
         From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
    ¹⁷She ^(R)girds herself with strength
         And makes her arms strong.
    ¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;
         Her lamp does not go out at night.
    ¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
         And her hands grasp the spindle.
    ²⁰She ^(S)extends her hand to the poor,
         And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
    ²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
         For all her household are ^(T)clothed with scarlet.
    ²²She makes ^(U)coverings for herself;
         Her clothing is ^(V)fine linen and ^(W)purple.
    ²³Her husband is known ^(X)in the gates,
         When he sits among the elders of the land.
    ²⁴She makes ^(Y)linen garments and sells them,
         And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
    ²⁵Strength and ^(Z)dignity are her clothing,
         And she smiles at the future.
    ²⁶She ^(AA)opens her mouth in wisdom,
         And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
    ²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household,
         And does not eat the ^(AB)bread of idleness.
    ²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;
         Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
    ²⁹"Many daughters have done nobly,
         But you excel them all."
    ³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
         But a woman who ^(AC)fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
    ³¹Give her the product of her hands,
         And let her works praise her in the gates.