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¹ The vvords of king Lemuel: The prophecie which his mother taught him.² What my sonne! and what ye sonne of my wombe! and what, O sonne of my desires!³ Giue not thy strength vnto women, nor thy wayes, which is to destroy Kings.⁴ It is not for Kings, O Lemuel, it is not for Kings to drink wine nor for princes strog drinke,⁵ Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction.⁶ Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart.⁷ Let him drinke, that he may forget his pouertie, and remember his miserie no more.⁸ Open thy mouth for the domme in the cause of all the children of destruction.⁹ Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore.

¹⁰ Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.¹¹ The heart of her husbande trusteth in her, and he shall haue no neede of spoyle.¹² She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life.¹³ She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes.¹⁴ She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre.¹⁵ And she riseth, whiles it is yet night: and giueth the portion to her houshold, and the ordinarie to her maides.¹⁶ She considereth a field, and getteth it: and with the fruite of her handes she planteth a vineyarde.¹⁷ She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes.¹⁸ She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night.¹⁹ She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle.²⁰ She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie.²¹ She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet.²² She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment.²³ Her husband is knowen in the gates, when he sitteth with the Elders of the land.²⁴ She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant.²⁵ Strength and honour is her clothing, and in the latter day she shall reioyce.²⁶ She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.²⁷ She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes.²⁸ Her children rise vp, and call her blessed: her husband also shall prayse her, saying,²⁹ Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all.³⁰ Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lorde, she shall be praysed.³¹ Giue her of the fruite of her hands, and let her owne workes prayse her in the gates.