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¹ The words of Lemuel, king of Massa, which his mother taught him:² What, my son? What, son of my womb? What, son of my vows?³ Give not your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy 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 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.⁶ Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;⁷ let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.⁸ Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all who are left desolate.⁹ Open your mouth, judge righteously, maintain the rights of the poor and needy.

¹⁰ A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.¹² She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.¹³ She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from afar.¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and tasks for her maidens.¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.¹⁷ She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong.¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.²² She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers girdles to the merchant.²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:²⁹ "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.