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The Words of King Lemuel
The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows,
O son of my vows,
do not waste your strength on women,
on those who ruin kings.
on those who ruin kings.
Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
your ways to those who destroy kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
For if they drink, they may forget the law
and not give justice to the oppressed.
and not give justice to the oppressed.
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
and wine for those in bitter distress.
Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.
and remember their troubles no more.
let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
and remember their misery no more.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.
ensure justice for those being crushed.
Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.
A Wife of Noble Character
and see that they get justice.
A Wife of Noble Character
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
and she will greatly enrich his life.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
and he will have no lack of gain.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
all the days of her life.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
all the days of her life.
She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
and busily spins it.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
and works with willing hands.
She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
bringing her food from afar.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
she brings her food from afar.
She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
a hard worker.
She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
her lamp burns late into the night.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
her fingers twisting fiber.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
and her hands hold the spindle.
She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
and opens her arms to the needy.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
and she laughs without fear of the future.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
and she laughs at the time to come.
When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
and she gives instructions with kindness.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
and suffers nothing from laziness.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
Her husband praises her:
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
her husband also, and he praises her:
“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
but you surpass them all!”
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.