Proverbs 31

New International Version

Sayings of King Lemuel

31 The sayings^(A) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!^(B)
³Do not spend your strength^[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.^(C)

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,^(D)
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵lest they drink^(E) and forget what has been decreed,^(F)
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine^(G) for those who are in anguish!
⁷Let them drink^(H) and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak^(I) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.^(J)

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰^[b]A wife of noble character^(K) who can find?^(L)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹Her husband^(M) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.^(N)
¹²She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.^(O)
¹⁴She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.^(P)
²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²²She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders^(Q) of the land.
²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.^(R)
²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise^(S) at the city gate.

Footnotes

Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Psalm 148-150

New International Version

Psalm 148

¹Praise the Lord.^[a]^(A)

Praise the Lord from the heavens;^(B)
    praise him in the heights above.
²Praise him, all his angels;^(C)
    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.^(D)
³Praise him, sun^(E) and moon;
    praise him, all you shining stars.
⁴Praise him, you highest heavens^(F)
    and you waters above the skies.^(G)

⁵Let them praise the name^(H) of the Lord,
for at his command^(I) they were created,
⁶and he established them for ever and ever—
he issued a decree^(J) that will never pass away.

⁷Praise the Lord^(K) from the earth,
    you great sea creatures^(L) and all ocean depths,^(M)
⁸lightning and hail,^(N) snow and clouds,
    stormy winds that do his bidding,^(O)
⁹you mountains and all hills,^(P)
    fruit trees and all cedars,
¹⁰wild animals^(Q) and all cattle,
    small creatures and flying birds,
¹¹kings^(R) of the earth and all nations,
    you princes and all rulers on earth,
¹²young men and women,
    old men and children.

¹³Let them praise the name of the Lord,^(S)
    for his name alone is exalted;
    his splendor^(T) is above the earth and the heavens.^(U)
¹⁴And he has raised up for his people a horn,^[b]^(V)
    the praise^(W) of all his faithful servants,^(X)
    of Israel, the people close to his heart.^(Y)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 149

¹Praise the Lord.^[c]^(Z)

Sing to the Lord a new song,^(AA)
his praise in the assembly^(AB) of his faithful people.

²Let Israel rejoice^(AC) in their Maker;^(AD)
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.^(AE)
³Let them praise his name with dancing^(AF)
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.^(AG)
⁴For the Lord takes delight^(AH) in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.^(AI)
⁵Let his faithful people rejoice^(AJ) in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.^(AK)

⁶May the praise of God be in their mouths^(AL)
    and a double-edged^(AM) sword in their hands,^(AN)
⁷to inflict vengeance^(AO) on the nations
    and punishment^(AP) on the peoples,
⁸to bind their kings with fetters,^(AQ)
    their nobles with shackles of iron,^(AR)
⁹to carry out the sentence written against them—^(AS)
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.^(AT)

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 150

¹Praise the Lord.^[d]^(AU)

Praise God in his sanctuary;^(AV)
    praise him in his mighty heavens.^(AW)
²Praise him for his acts of power;^(AX)
    praise him for his surpassing greatness.^(AY)
³Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,^(AZ)
    praise him with the harp and lyre,^(BA)
⁴praise him with timbrel and dancing,^(BB)
    praise him with the strings^(BC) and pipe,^(BD)
⁵praise him with the clash of cymbals,^(BE)
    praise him with resounding cymbals.