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The Wisdom of King Lemuel's Mother

¹ The words of Lemuel king of Massa, which his mother taught him:

² What, my son? What, son who came from within me? What, son of my promises? ³ Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which destroys kings. ⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink. ⁵ Or they might drink and forget the law, and go against the rights of all who are suffering. ⁶ Give strong drink to him who is about to die, and wine to him whose life is full of trouble. ⁷ Let him drink and forget how poor he is, and remember his trouble no more. ⁸ Open your mouth for those who cannot speak, and for the rights of those who are left without help. ⁹ Open your mouth. Be right and fair in what you decide. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need.

¹⁰ Who can find a good wife? For she is worth far more than rubies that make one rich. ¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will never stop getting good things. ¹² She does him good and not bad all the days of her life. ¹³ She looks for wool and flax, and works with willing hands. ¹⁴ She is like ships that trade. She brings her food from far away. ¹⁵ She rises while it is still night and makes food for all those in her house. She gives work for the young women to do. ¹⁶ She gives careful thought to a field and buys it. She plants grape-vines from what she has earned. ¹⁷ She makes herself ready with strength, and makes her arms strong. ¹⁸ She sees that what she has earned is good. Her lamp does not go out at night. ¹⁹ She puts her hands to the wheel to make cloth. ²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor, and holds out her hands to those in need. ²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for those in her house, for all of them are dressed in red. ²² She makes coverings for herself. Her clothes are linen cloth and purple. ²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the leaders of the land. ²⁴ She makes linen clothes and sells them. She brings belts to those who trade. ²⁵ Her clothes are strength and honor. She is full of joy about the future. ²⁶ She

opens her mouth with wisdom. The teaching of kindness is on her tongue. ²⁷ She looks well to the ways of those in her house, and does not eat the bread of doing nothing. ²⁸ Her children rise up and honor her. Her husband does also, and he praises her, saying: ²⁹ "Many daughters have done well, but you have done better than all of them." ³⁰ Pleasing ways lie and beauty comes to nothing, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. ³¹ Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.