Proverbs 31
English Standard Version
The Words of King Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son?[a] What are you doing, (A)son of my womb?
What are you doing, (B)son of my vows?
3 Do (C)not give your strength to women,
your ways to those (D)who destroy kings.
4 (E)It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings (F)to drink wine,
or for rulers to take (G)strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and (H)pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to the one who (I)is perishing,
and wine to (J)those in bitter distress;[b]
7 (K)let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 (L)Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.[c]
9 Open your mouth, (M)judge righteously,
(N)defend the rights of (O)the poor and needy.
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
10 [d] (P)An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than (Q)jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She (R)seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She (S)rises while it is yet night
and (T)provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She (U)dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She (V)opens her hand to (W)the poor
and reaches out her hands to (X)the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in (Y)scarlet.[f]
22 She makes (Z)bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is (AA)fine linen and (AB)purple.
23 Her husband is known in (AC)the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (AD)linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 (AE)Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many (AF)women have done (AG)excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 (AH)Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:2 Hebrew What, my son?
- Proverbs 31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
- Proverbs 31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
- Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
- Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
- Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness
Proverbs 31
New American Standard Bible
The Words of Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel, the pronouncement which his mother taught him:
2 What, my son?
And what, (A)son of my womb?
And what, son of my (B)vows?
3 (C)Do not give your strength to women,
Or your ways to that which (D)destroys kings.
4 It is not for (E)kings, Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (F)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire intoxicating drink,
5 Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (G)pervert the [a]rights of all the [b]needy.
6 Give intoxicating drink to one who is (H)perishing,
And wine to one [c](I)whose life is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his trouble no more.
8 (J)Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak,
For the [d]rights of all the [e]unfortunate.
9 Open your mouth, (K)judge righteously,
And [f]defend the (L)rights of the poor and needy.
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An (M)excellent wife, who can find her?
For her worth is far (N)above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and linen,
And works with her [g]hands [h]in delight.
14 She is like (O)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 And she (P)rises while it is still night
And (Q)gives food to her household,
And [i]portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [j]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (R)surrounds her waist with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the [k]distaff,
And her [l]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [m](S)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (T)clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes (U)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is (V)fine linen and (W)purple.
23 Her husband is known (X)in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (Y)linen garments and sells them,
And [n]supplies belts to the [o]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (Z)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [p]future.
26 She (AA)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [q]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household,
And does not eat the (AB)bread of idleness.
28 Her 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.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [r](AC)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [s]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit judgment
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:6 Lit bitter of soul
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit judgment
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit sons of passing away
- Proverbs 31:9 Lit judge the afflicted
- Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
- Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
- Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
- Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
- Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
- Proverbs 31:26 Or law
- Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
- Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
