| 1 | The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him. |
| 2 | What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows? |
| 3 | Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings. |
| 4 | Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth: |
| 5 | And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor. |
| 6 | Give strong drink to them that are sad: and wine to them that are grieved in mind: |
| 7 | Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more. |
| 8 | Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass. |
| 9 | Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor. |
| 10 | Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. |
| 11 | The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. |
| 12 | She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. |
| 13 | She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. |
| 14 | She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. |
| 15 | And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens. |
| 16 | She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. |
| 17 | She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. |
| 18 | She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. |
| 19 | She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. |
| 20 | She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. |
| 21 | She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments. |
| 22 | She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering. |
| 23 | Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. |
| 24 | She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. |
| 25 | Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. |
| 26 | She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. |
| 27 | She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. |
| 28 | Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. |
| 29 | Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. |
| 30 | Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. |
| 31 | Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates. |
