The words of KingLemuel, the 1oraclewhich his mothertaught him:Or burden
2 What, O my son?And what, O ason of my womb?And what, O son of my bvows?Is 49:151 Sam 1:113 aDo not give your strength to women,Or your ways to that which bdestroyskings.Prov 5:9Deut 17:17; 1 Kin 11:1; Neh 13:264 It is not for akings, O Lemuel,It is not for kings to bdrinkwine,Or for rulers to desirestrongdrink,Eccl 10:17Prov 20:1; Is 5:22; Hos 4:115 For they will drink and forget what is decreed,And apervert the 1rights of all the 2afflicted.Lit judgmentLit sons of afflictionEx 23:6; Deut 16:19; Prov 17:156 Givestrongdrink to him who is aperishing,And wine to him 1bwhose life is bitter.Lit bitter of soulJob 29:13Job 3:20; Is 38:157 Let him drink and forget his povertyAnd remember his troublenomore.8 aOpen your mouth for the mute,For the 1rights of all the 2unfortunate.Lit judgmentLit sons of passing awayJob 29:12-17; Ps 829 Open your mouth, ajudgerighteously,And 1defend the brights of the afflicted and needy.Lit judge the afflictedLev 19:15; Deut 1:16Is 1:17; Jer 22:16
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An aexcellentwife, who can find?For her worth is farbabovejewels.Ruth 3:11; Prov 12:4; 19:14Job 28:18; Prov 8:1111 The heart of her husbandtrusts in her,And he will havenolack of gain.12 She does him good and not evilAll the days of her life.13 She looks for wool and flaxAnd works with her 1hands2in delight.Lit palmsOr willingly14 She is like amerchantships;She brings her food from afar.Ezek 27:2515 She arises also while it is stillnightAnd bgivesfood to her householdAnd 1portions to her maidens.Or prescribed tasksProv 20:13; Rom 12:11Luke 12:4216 She considers a field and buys it;From 1her earnings she plants a vineyard.Lit the fruit of her palms17 She agirds1herself with strengthAnd makes her armsstrong.Lit her loins1 Kin 18:46; 2 Kin 4:29; Job 38:318 She senses that her gain is good;Her lamp does not go out at night.19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,And her 1handsgrasp the spindle.Lit palms20 She 1aextends her hand to the poor,And she stretches out her hands to the needy.Lit spreads out her palmDeut 15:11; Job 31:16-20; Prov 22:9; Rom 12:13; Eph 4:2821 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,For all her household are aclothed with scarlet.2 Sam 1:2422 She makesacoverings for herself;Her clothing is bfinelinen and cpurple.Prov 7:16Gen 41:42; Rev 19:8, 14Judg 8:26; Luke 16:1923 Her husband is knownain the gates,When he sitsamong the elders of the land.Deut 16:18; Ruth 4:1, 1124 She makesalinengarments and sellsthem,And 1suppliesbelts to the 2tradesmen.Lit givesLit CanaaniteJudg 14:1225 Strength and adignity are her clothing,And she smiles at the 1future.Lit latter days1 Tim 2:9, 1026 She aopens her mouth in wisdom,And the 1teaching of kindness is on her tongue.Or lawProv 10:3127 She lookswell to the ways of her household,And does not eat the abread of idleness.Prov 19:1528 Her childrenrise up and bless her;Her husbandalso, and he praises her, saying:29 “Manydaughters have donenobly,But you excel them all.”30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,But a woman who 1afears the LORD, she shall be praised.Or reverencesPs 112:1; Prov 22:431 Give her the 1product of her hands,And let her workspraise her in the gates.Lit fruit
The words of KingLemuel, the pronouncementwhich his mothertaught him:
2 What, my son?And what, ason of my womb?And what, son of my bvows?Is 49:151 Sam 1:113 aDo not give your strength to women,Or your ways to that which bdestroyskings.Prov 5:9Deut 17:17; 1 Kin 11:1; Neh 13:264 It is not for akings, Lemuel,It is not for kings to bdrinkwine,Or for rulers to desireintoxicatingdrink,Eccl 10:17Prov 20:1; Is 5:22; Hos 4:115 Otherwise they will drink and forget what is decreed,And apervert the 1rights of all the 2needy.Lit judgmentLit sons of afflictionEx 23:6; Deut 16:19; Prov 17:156 Giveintoxicatingdrink to one who is aperishing,And wine to one 1bwhose life is bitter.Lit bitter of soulJob 29:13Job 3:20; Is 38:157 Let him drink and forget his poverty,And remember his troublenomore.8 aOpen your mouth for the peoplewhocannotspeak,For the 1rights of all the 2unfortunate.Lit judgmentLit sons of passing awayJob 29:12-17; Ps 829 Open your mouth, ajudgerighteously,And 1defendthebrights of the poor and needy.Lit judge the afflictedLev 19:15; Deut 1:16Is 1:17; Jer 22:16
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An aexcellentwife, who can findher?For her worth is farbabovejewels.Ruth 3:11; Prov 12:4; 19:14Job 28:18; Prov 8:1111 The heart of her husbandtrusts in her,And he will havenolack of gain.12 She does him good and not evilAll the days of her life.13 She looks for wool and linen,And works with her 1hands2in delight.Lit palmsOr willingly14 She is like amerchantships;She brings her food from afar.Ezek 27:2515 And she arises while it is stillnightAnd bgivesfood to her household,And 1portions to her attendants.Or prescribed tasksProv 20:13; Rom 12:11Luke 12:4216 She considers a field and buys it;From 1her earnings she plants a vineyard.Lit the fruit of her palms17 She asurrounds her waist with strengthAnd makes her armsstrong.1 Kin 18:46; 2 Kin 4:29; Job 38:318 She senses that her profit is good;Her lamp does not goout at night.19 She stretchesout her hands to the 1distaff,And her 2handsgrasp the spindle.I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinningLit palms20 She 1aextends her hand to the poor,And she stretchesout her hands to the needy.Lit spreads out her palmDeut 15:11; Job 31:16-20; Prov 22:9; Rom 12:13; Eph 4:2821 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,For all her household are aclothed with scarlet.2 Sam 1:2422 She makesacoverings for herself;Her clothing is bfinelinen and cpurple.Prov 7:16Gen 41:42; Rev 19:8, 14Judg 8:26; Luke 16:1923 Her husband is knownain the gates,When he sitsamong the elders of the land.Deut 16:18; Ruth 4:1, 1124 She makesalinengarments and sellsthem,And 1suppliesbelts to the 2tradesmen.Lit givesLit CanaaniteJudg 14:1225 Strength and adignity are her clothing,And she smiles at the 1future.Lit latter days1 Tim 2:9, 1026 She aopens her mouth in wisdom,And the 1teaching of kindness is on her tongue.Or lawProv 10:3127 She watchesover the activities of her household,And does not eat the abread of idleness.Prov 19:1528 Her childrenriseup and bless her;Her husbandalso, and he praises her, saying:29 “Manydaughters have donenobly,But you excel them all.”30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,But a woman who 1afears the LORD, she shall be praised.Or reveresPs 112:1; Prov 22:431 Give her the 1product of her hands,And let her workspraise her in the gates.Lit fruit
The words of KingLemuel, the 1oracleuntowhich his motherdisciplined him:Or burden
2 What, O my son?And what, O ason of my womb?And what, O son of my bvows?Is 49:151 Sam 1:113 aDo not give your excellence to women,Or your ways to that which bblotsoutkings.Prov 5:9Deut 17:17; 1 Kin 11:1; Neh 13:264 It is not for akings, O Lemuel,It is not for kings to bdrinkwine,Or for rulers to desirestrongdrink,Eccl 10:17Prov 20:1; Is 5:22; Hos 4:115 Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,And apervert the justice of all the 1afflicted.Lit sons of afflictionEx 23:6; Deut 16:19; Prov 17:156 Givestrongdrink to him who is aperishing,And wine to those bwhose soul is bitter.Job 29:13Job 3:20; Is 38:157 Let him drink and forget his povertyAnd he will not remember his troubleanylonger.8 aOpen your mouth for the mute,For the justice of all those 1passing away.Lit sons of passing awayJob 29:12-17; Ps 829 Open your mouth, ajudgerighteously,And renderbjustice to the afflicted and needy.Lev 19:15; Deut 1:16Is 1:17; Jer 22:16
A Woman Who Fears Yahweh
א — Aleph
10 1An aexcellentwife, who can find?For her worth is farbabovepearls.Lit a woman of excellence, a woman of strengthRuth 3:11; Prov 12:4; 19:14Job 28:18; Prov 8:11
ב — Beth
11 The heart of her husbandtrusts in her,And he will havenolack of gain.
ג — Gimel
12 She dealsbountifully with him for good and not evilAll the days of her life.
ד — Daleth
13 She searches for wool and flaxAnd works with her 1hands2in delight.Lit palmsOr willingly
ה — He
14 She is like amerchantships;She brings her food from afar.Ezek 27:25
ו — Vav
15 And she arises while it is stillnight,And bgives1food to her householdAnd a 2portion to her youngwomen.Lit preyOr prescribed taskProv 20:13; Rom 12:11Ps 111:5; Luke 12:42
ז — Zayin
16 She makes plans for a field and buys it;From the fruit of her 1hands she plants a vineyard.Lit palms
ח — Heth
17 She agirds1herself with strengthAnd makes her armsstrong.Lit her loins1 Kin 18:46; 2 Kin 4:29; Job 38:3
ט — Teth
18 She senses that her gain is good;Her lamp does not go out at night.
י — Yodh
19 She stretchesout her hands to the distaff,And her 1handsholdfast the spindle.Lit palms
כ — Kaph
20 She 1aextends her hand to the poor,And she stretchesout her hands to the needy.Lit spreads out her palmDeut 15:11; Job 31:16-20; Prov 22:9; Rom 12:13; Eph 4:28
ל — Lamedh
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,For all her household are aclothed with scarlet.2 Sam 1:24
מ — Mem
22 She makesacoverings for herself;Her clothing is bfinelinen and cpurple.Prov 7:16Gen 41:42; Rev 19:8, 14Judg 8:26; Luke 16:19
נ — Nun
23 Her husband is knownain the gates,When he sitswith the elders of the land.Deut 16:18; Ruth 4:1, 11
ס — Samekh
24 She makesalinengarments and sellsthem,And givesbelts to the 1tradesmen.Lit CanaaniteJudg 14:12
ע — Ayin
25 Strength and amajesty are her clothing,And she smiles at the 1future.Lit latter days1 Tim 2:9, 10
פ — Pe
26 She aopens her mouth in wisdom,And the 1instruction of lovingkindness is on her tongue.Or lawProv 10:31
צ — Tsadhe
27 She watchesover the ways of her household,And does not eat the abread of 1idleness.Lit being a sluggardProv 19:15
ק — Qoph
28 Her childrenriseup and bless her;As for her husband, he also praises her, saying:
ר — Resh
29 “Manydaughters have doneexcellently,But you have goneabove them all.”
ש — Shin
30 1Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,But a woman who 2afearsYahweh, she shall be praised.Lit GracefulnessOr reverencesPs 112:1; Prov 22:4
ת — Tav
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hands,And let her workspraise her in the gates.