Proverbs 31
New American Standard Bible 1995
The Words of Lemuel
31 The words of King Lemuel, the [a]oracle which his mother taught him:
2 What, 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.
4 It is not for (E)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (F)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 For they will drink and forget what is decreed,
And (G)pervert the [b]rights of all the [c]afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is (H)perishing,
And wine to him [d](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 mute,
For the [e]rights of all the [f]unfortunate.
9 Open your mouth, (K)judge righteously,
And [g]defend the (L)rights of the afflicted and needy.
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An (M)excellent wife, who can find?
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 flax
And works with her [h]hands [i]in delight.
14 She is like (O)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She (P)rises also while it is still night
And (Q)gives food to her household
And [j]portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [k]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (R)girds [l]herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her [m]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [n](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 [o]supplies belts to the [p]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (Z)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [q]future.
26 She (AA)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [r]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways 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 [s](AC)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [t]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:1 Or burden
- 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 31:17 Lit her loins
- 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 reverences
- Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit
Proverbs 31
Legacy Standard Bible
A Mother’s Oracle
31 The words of King Lemuel, the [a]oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:
2 What, 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 excellence to women,
Or your ways to that which (D)blots out kings.
4 It is not for (E)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to (F)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,
And (G)pervert the justice of all the [b]afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is (H)perishing,
And wine to those (I)whose soul is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty
And he will not remember his trouble any longer.
8 (J)Open your mouth for the mute,
For the justice of all those [c]passing away.
9 Open your mouth, (K)judge righteously,
And render (L)justice to the afflicted and needy.
A Woman Who Fears Yahweh
Aleph
Beth
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
Gimel
12 She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil
All the days of her life.
Daleth
He
14 She is like (O)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
Vav
15 And she (P)rises while it is still night,
And (Q)gives [g]food to her household
And a [h]portion to her young women.
Zayin
16 She makes plans for a field and buys it;
From the fruit of her [i]hands she plants a vineyard.
Heth
Teth
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
Yodh
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her [k]hands hold fast the spindle.
Kaph
Lamedh
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (T)clothed with scarlet.
Mem
Nun
23 Her husband is known (X)in the gates,
When he sits with the elders of the land.
Samekh
Ayin
Pe
Tsadhe
Qoph
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
As for her husband, he also praises her, saying:
Resh
29 “Many daughters have done excellently,
But you have gone above them all.”
Shin
30 [q]Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [r](AC)fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
Tav
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:1 Or burden
- Proverbs 31:5 Lit sons of affliction
- Proverbs 31:8 Lit sons of passing away
- Proverbs 31:10 Lit a woman of excellence, a woman of strength
- Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
- Proverbs 31:15 Lit prey
- Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed task
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:17 Lit her loins
- Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
- Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
- Proverbs 31:26 Or law
- Proverbs 31:27 Lit being a sluggard
- Proverbs 31:30 Lit Gracefulness
- Proverbs 31:30 Or reverences
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
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.