Proverbs 31

²No, my son! No, son of my womb!

No, son of my vows!

³Do not give your strength to women,

your ways to those who destroy kings.

⁴It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

or for rulers to desire strong drink;

⁵or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed,

and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

⁶Give strong drink to one who is perishing,

and wine to those in bitter distress;

⁷let them drink and forget their poverty,

and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak out for those who cannot speak,

for the rights of all the destitute.

⁹Speak out, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

¹⁰A capable wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

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 seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

¹⁴She is like the ships of the merchant,

she brings her food from far away.

¹⁵She rises while it is still night

and provides food for her household

and tasks for her servant-girls.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds herself 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 opens her hand to the poor,

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

²¹She is not afraid for her household when it snows,

for all her household are clothed in crimson.

²²She makes herself coverings;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is known in the city gates,

taking his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them;

she supplies the merchant with sashes.

²⁵Strength 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 happy;

her husband too, and he praises her:

²⁹“Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

³⁰Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the city gates.