Home Master Index
←Prev   Proverbs 31 as rendered by/in  Next→ 


31:1  These are the wise sayings that King Lemuel’s mother taught him:
31:2  I prayed for a son, and you are the son I gave birth to.
31:3  Don’t waste your strength on women. Women destroy kings, so don’t waste yourself on them.
31:4  Lemuel, it is not wise for kings to drink wine. It is not wise for rulers to want beer.
31:5  They may drink too much and forget what the law says. Then they might take away the rights of the poor.
31:6  Give beer to people without hope. Give wine to those who are in trouble.
31:7  Let them drink to forget their troubles. Let them forget they are poor.
31:8  Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble.
31:9  Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly. Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.
31:10  How hard it is to find the perfect wife. She is worth far more than jewels.
31:11  Her husband depends on her. He will never be poor.
31:12  She does good for her husband all her life. She never causes him trouble.
31:13  She is always gathering wool and flax and enjoys making things with her hands.
31:14  She is like a ship from a faraway place. She brings home food from everywhere.
31:15  She wakes up early in the morning, cooks food for her family, and gives the servants their share.
31:16  She looks at land and buys it. She uses the money she has earned and plants a vineyard.
31:17  She works very hard. She is strong and able to do all her work.
31:18  She works late into the night to make sure her business earns a profit.
31:19  She makes her own thread and weaves her own cloth.
31:20  She always gives to the poor and helps those who need it.
31:21  She does not worry about her family when it snows. She has given them all good, warm clothes.
31:22  She makes sheets and spreads for the beds, and she wears clothes of fine linen.
31:23  Her husband is a respected member of the city council, where he meets with the other leaders.
31:24  She makes clothes and belts and sells them to the merchants.
31:25  She is a strong person, and people respect her. She looks to the future with confidence.
31:26  She speaks with wisdom and teaches others to be loving and kind.
31:27  She oversees the care of her house. She is never lazy.
31:28  Her children say good things about her. Her husband brags about her and says,
31:29  “There are many good women, but you are the best.”
31:30  Grace and beauty can fool you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31:31  Give her the reward she deserves. Praise her in public for what she has done.