Skip to content

Parallel

Proverbs 31

World English Bible British Edition · Berean Standard Bible

31:1
The words of King Lemuel—the revelation which his mother taught him:
These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
31:2
“Oh, my son!
What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
31:3
Don’t give your strength to women,
Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
31:4
It is not for kings, Lemuel,
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
31:5
lest they drink, and forget the law,
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
31:6
Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish,
Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
31:7
Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
31:8
Open your mouth for the mute,
Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
31:9
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
31:10
Who can find a worthy woman?
A wife (note: Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.) of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
31:11
The heart of her husband trusts in her.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
31:12
She does him good, and not harm,
She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
31:13
She seeks wool and flax,
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
31:14
She is like the merchant ships.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
31:15
She rises also while it is yet night,
She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
31:16
She considers a field, and buys it.
She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
31:17
She arms her waist with strength,
She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
31:18
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
31:19
She lays her hands to the distaff,
She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
31:20
She opens her arms to the poor;
She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
31:21
She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet (note: Or doubly clothed).
31:22
She makes for herself carpets of tapestry.
She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
31:23
Her husband is respected in the gates,
Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
31:24
She makes linen garments and sells them,
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
31:25
Strength and dignity are her clothing.
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
31:27
She looks well to the ways of her household,
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
31:28
Her children rise up and call her blessed.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
31:29
“Many women do noble things,
“Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
31:30
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31:31
Give her of the fruit of her hands!
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.