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
Proverbs 31
King James Version
31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Mishle 31
Orthodox Jewish Bible
31 The devarim of Lemuel Melech, the massa (burden, oracle) that immo taught him.
2 What, my bar (son, see Ps 2:12)? And what, the bar of my womb? And what, the bar of my nedarim (vows)?
3 Give not thy strength unto nashim, nor thy drakhim to that which destroyeth melachim.
4 It is not for melachim, O Lemuel, it is not for melachim to drink yayin; nor for rulers to crave strong drink;
5 Lest they drink, and forget the decree, and pervert the justice of the bnei oni (all the oppressed afflicted people).
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and yayin unto those that be of bitter nefesh.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his amal (misery) no more.
8 Open thy peh (mouth) for the illem (mute) in the cause of all such as are bnei chalof (sons of destitution).
9 Open thy peh (mouth), judge tzedek, and plead the cause of the oni and the evyon.
10 Who can find an aishes chayil (a woman of valor, an excellent wife Prov 12:4)? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The lev of her ba’al (husband) doth securely trust in her, so that he shall have no lack of gain.
12 She will do him tov and not rah all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh tzemer (wool), and flax, and worketh willingly with her palms.
14 She is like the oniyyot socher (ship merchant); she bringeth her lechem from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet lailah, and provideth food to her bais, and a chok (portion) to her na’arot (servant girls).
16 She considereth a sadeh, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her palms she planteth a kerem (vineyard).
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her zero’ot (arms).
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is tov; her ner (light) goeth not out balailah.
19 She layeth her yadayim to the distaff, and her fingers lay hold of the spindle.
20 She extends her palms to the oni; indeed, she reacheth forth her yadayim to the evyon (needy).
21 She is not afraid of the sheleg (snow) for her bais; for all her bais are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her levush (clothing) is fine linen and purple.
23 Her ba’al (husband) is known in the she’arim, when he sitteth among the ziknei eretz.
24 She maketh fine garments, and selleth them; and delivereth sashes unto the kena’ani (merchant).
25 Oz (strength) and hadar (dignity) are her clothing; and her smile is toward the yom acharon (coming day, future).
26 She openeth her peh (mouth) with chochmah; and on her lashon is the torat chesed (teaching of kindness).
27 She watcheth well over the halichot (goings, ways) of her bais (household), and eateth not the lechem atzlut (bread of idleness).
28 Her banim rise up, and call her blessed; her ba’al (husband) also, and he praiseth her.
29 Rabbot banot have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Chen (charm) is sheker (deceitful), and yofi (beauty) is fleeting; but an isha Yirat Hashem (a G-d fearing wife), she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the p’ri (fruit) of her yadayim; and let her own ma’asim praise her in the she’arim.
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