Proverbs 31 - ESV Bible - The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his...

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

2 What are you doing, my son?^a What are you doing, ¹son of my womb? What are you doing, ²son of my vows?

3 Do ³not give your strength to women, your ways to those ⁴who destroy kings.

4 ⁵It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings ⁶to drink wine, or for rulers to take ⁷strong drink,

5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and ⁸pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink to the one who ⁹is perishing, and wine to ¹⁰those in bitter distress;^b

7 ¹¹let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

8 ¹²Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.^c

9 Open your mouth, ¹³judge righteously, ¹⁴defend the rights of ¹⁵the poor and needy.

10 ^d¹⁶An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than ¹⁷jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

13 She ¹⁸seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.

15 She ¹⁹rises while it is yet night and ²⁰provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.

16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She ²¹dresses herself^e with strength and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

20 She ²²opens her hand to ²³the poor and reaches out her hands to ²⁴the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in ²⁵scarlet.^f

22 She makes ²⁶bed coverings for herself; her clothing is ²⁷fine linen and ²⁸purple.

23 Her husband is known in ²⁹the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes ³⁰linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

25 ³¹Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

29 "Many ³²women have done ³³excellently, but you surpass them all."

30 ³⁴Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31 ESV