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Proverbs 31
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Proverbs31

The Words of King Lemuel
1The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

2What are you doing, my son?31:2 Hebrew What, my son? What are you doing, 31:2 Isa. 49:15son of my womb?
What are you doing, 31:2 [1 Sam. 1:27]son of my vows?
3Do 31:3 [ch. 5:9] not give your strength to women,
your ways to those 31:3 [ch. 7:26; Deut. 17:17; 1 Kgs. 11:1; Neh. 13:26]who destroy kings.
431:4 Eccles. 10:17; [1 Kgs. 16:9; 20:16] It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings 31:4 [Hos. 4:11] to drink wine,
or for rulers to take 31:4 ch. 20:1strong drink,
5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and 31:5 [Isa. 5:22, 23]pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6Give strong drink to the one who 31:6 Job 29:13is perishing,
and wine to 31:6 Job 3:20those in bitter distress;31:6 Hebrew those bitter in soul
731:7 [Ps. 104:15]let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
831:8 Job 29:12, 15, 16; [Isa. 1:17]Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.31:8 Hebrew are sons of passing away
9Open your mouth, 31:9 Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16judge righteously,
31:9 Jer. 22:16; [Isa. 1:17] defend the rights of 31:9 ver. 20; Ps. 40:17; 86:1the poor and needy.
The Woman Who Fears the Lord
1031:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet31:10 ch. 12:4; Ruth 3:11; [ch. 18:22; 19:14] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than 31:10 Job 28:18jewels.
11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She 31:13 [ver. 21, 22, 24]seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15She 31:15 [ch. 20:13] rises while it is yet night
and 31:15 Luke 12:42; [Ps. 111:5]provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She 31:17 [ver. 25]dresses herself31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20She 31:20 [Rom. 12:13; Eph. 4:28] opens her hand to 31:20 [ver. 9]the poor
and reaches out her hands to 31:20 [ver. 9]the needy.
21She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in 31:21 2 Sam. 1:24scarlet.31:21 Or in double thickness
22She makes 31:22 ch. 7:16bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is 31:22 Gen. 41:42; Rev. 19:8, 14fine linen and 31:22 Judg. 8:26purple.
23Her husband is known in 31:23 See Ruth 4:1, 2the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes 31:24 Judg. 14:12; Isa. 3:23linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
2531:25 [ver. 17]Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many 31:29 Song 6:9women have done 31:29 [ver. 10]excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
3031:30 [ch. 11:16]Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.