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[1]Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:
[2]`What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?
[3]Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.
[4]Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.
[5]Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.
[6]Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,
[7]He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.
[8]Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.
[9]Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'
[10]A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.
[11]The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.
[12]She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.
[13]She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.
[14]She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.
[15]Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.
[16]She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
[17]She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.
[18]She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
[19]Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.
[20]Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.
[21]She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.
[22]Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.
[23]Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.
[24]Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.
[25]Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.
[26]Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.
[27]She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.
[28]Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
[29]`Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'
[30]The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
[31]Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!
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