| 1 | Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: |
| 2 | `What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? |
| 3 | Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings. |
| 4 | Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. |
| 5 | Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. |
| 6 | Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul, |
| 7 | He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. |
| 8 | Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change. |
| 9 | Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!` |
| 10 | A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price. |
| 11 | The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not. |
| 12 | She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life. |
| 13 | She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands. |
| 14 | She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. |
| 15 | Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels. |
| 16 | She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. |
| 17 | She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms. |
| 18 | She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. |
| 19 | Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff. |
| 20 | Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy. |
| 21 | She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet. |
| 22 | Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing. |
| 23 | Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land. |
| 24 | Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant. |
| 25 | Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day. |
| 26 | Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue. |
| 27 | She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not. |
| 28 | Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her, |
| 29 | `Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.` |
| 30 | The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself. |
| 31 | Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates! |
