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Proverbs 31

¹The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, which his mother taught him:

²What, my son? What, son of my womb? What, son of my vows?

³Give not 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;

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

⁶Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;

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

⁸Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all who are left desolate.

⁹Open your mouth, judge righteously, maintain the rights of the poor and needy.

¹⁰A good 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 afar.

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

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

¹⁷She girds her loins 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 of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

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

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

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 blessed; her husband also, 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 of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31 (RSV)

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Proverbs

Chapter 31

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