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The Words of Lemuel

¹ The words of ^(F1)King Lemuel, the oracle, which his mother taught him:

² What, O my ^(F1)son?
And what, O ^(C1)son of my womb?
And what shall I advise you, O son of my ^(C2)vows?

^3 (C1)Do not give your generative strength to women neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor ^(F1)concubines,
Nor your ways to that which ^(C2)destroys kings.

⁴ It is not for ^(C1)kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to ^(C2)drink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink, ^(VR1)

⁵ Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees,
And ^(C1)pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted.

⁶ Give strong drink as medicine to him who is ready to ^(C1)pass away,
And wine to him ^(C2)whose life is bitter.

⁷ Let him drink and forget his poverty
And no longer remember his trouble.

^8 (C1)Open your mouth for the mute,
For the rights of all who are unfortunate and defenseless; ^(VR1)

⁹ Open your mouth, ^(C1)judge righteously,
And administer ^(C2)justice for the afflicted and needy. ^(VR1)

Description of a Worthy Woman

^10 (F1)An ^(C1)excellent woman one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous, who is he who can find her?
Her value is ^(C2)more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. ^(VR1)

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her with secure confidence,
And he will have no lack of gain.

¹² She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil
All the days of her life.

¹³ She looks for wool and flax
And works with willing hands in delight.

¹⁴ She is like the ^(C1)merchant ships abounding with treasure;
She brings her household's food from far away.

¹⁵ She ^(C1)rises also while it is still night
And ^(C2)gives food to her household
And assigns tasks to her maids. ^(VR1)

¹⁶ She considers a field before she buys or accepts it expanding her business prudently;
With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.

¹⁷ She ^(C1)equips herself with strength spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task
And makes her arms strong.

¹⁸ She sees that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out, but it burns continually through the night she is prepared for whatever lies ahead.

¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the ^(F1)distaff,
And her hands hold the spindle as she spins wool into thread for clothing.

²⁰ She ^(C1)opens and extends her hand to the poor,
And she reaches out her filled hands to the needy.

²¹ She does not fear the snow for her household,
For all in her household are ^(C1)clothed in expensive scarlet wool. ^(VR1)

²² She makes for herself ^(C1)coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry.
Her clothing is ^(C2)linen, pure and fine, and ^(C3)purple wool. ^(VR1)

²³ Her husband is known ^(C1)in the city's gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land. ^(VR1)

²⁴ She makes fine ^(C1)linen garments and sells them;
And supplies sashes to the merchants.

²⁵ Strength and ^(C1)dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure;
And she smiles at the future knowing that she and her family are prepared.

²⁶ She ^(C1)opens her mouth in skillful and godly wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue giving counsel and instruction.

²⁷ She looks well to how things go in her household,
And does not eat the ^(C1)bread of idleness. ^(VR1)

²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired);
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying,

²⁹ "Many daughters have done nobly, and well with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness,
^(F1)But you excel them all."

³⁰ Charm and grace are deceptive, and superficial beauty is vain,
But a woman who ^(C1)fears the LORD reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect, she shall be praised.

³¹ Give her of the product of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates of the city. ^(VR1)