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¹ Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him:² `What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?³ Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings.⁴ Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink.⁵ Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction.⁶ Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul,⁷ He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again.⁸ Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change.⁹ Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'

¹⁰ A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.¹¹ The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not.¹² She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life.¹³ She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.¹⁴ She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.¹⁵ Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.¹⁶ She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.¹⁷ She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.¹⁸ She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.¹⁹ Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.²⁰ Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.²¹ She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet.²² Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple [are] her clothing.²³ Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.²⁴ Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.²⁵ Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.²⁶ Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.²⁷ She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.²⁸ Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,²⁹ `Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'³⁰ The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.³¹ Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!