The Sayings for King Lemuel

1The words of Lemuel the king—the burden that his mother taught him:

2What, O my son?

And what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

3Do not give your strength to the women,

and your ways to wiping away kings.

4Not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

nor for rulers strong drink,

5lest they drink and forget the decree,

and pervert the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.

6Give strong drink to the one perishing,

and wine to those bitter of soul.

7Let him drink and forget his poverty,

and not remember his trouble anymore.

8Open your mouth for a mute one,

for the cause of all the sons of destitution.

9Open your mouth, judge with righteousness,

and plead the cause of the poor one and needy one.

The Virtues of a Noble Woman

10A wife† of worth, who can find her?

And far above rubies is her value.

11The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he is not lacking in spoil.

12She has done him good, and not evil,

all the days of her life.

13She has sought wool and flax,

and she works it with the delight of her palms.

14She is like the ships of a merchant—

from afar she brings in her bread.

15And she rises and it is still night,

and she provides food for her house,

even the portion assigned to her maidservants.

16She considers a field and buys it;

from the fruit of her palms she plants a vineyard.

17She girds her loins with strength

and strengthens her arms.

18She tastes that her profit is good;

her lamp is not extinguished in the night.

19She stretched out her hands to the distaff,

and her palms grasp the spindle.

20Her palm she spreads out to a poor one,

and her hands she sends out to a needy one.

21She does not fear for her house because of snow,

for all her house is clothed in scarlet.†

22Coverings she has made for herself;

fine linen and purple are her clothing.

23Her husband is known in the gates,

in his sitting with the elders of the land.

24Linen garments she has made and sold,

and a girdle she gives to the merchant.

25Strength and honor are her clothing,

and she laughs at the day to come.

26She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and instruction of kindness is on her tongue.

27She watches the goings of her house,

and the bread of idleness she does not eat.

28Her children rise up and call her blessed,

and her husband he praises her:

29“Many daughters have acted with worth,

and you have gone up over them all.”

30Charm is deceptive and beauty is vapor,

and a woman fearing YHWH—she is to be praised.

31Give to her from the fruit of her hands,

and let her own deeds praise her in the gates.