1 The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
2 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing,fIsa. 49:15 son of my womb?
What are you doing,g[1 Sam. 1:27] son of my vows?
3 Doh[ch. 5:9] not give your strength to women,
your ways to thosei[ch. 7:26; Deut. 17:17; 1 Kgs. 11:1; Neh. 13:26] who destroy kings.
4 jEccles. 10:17; [1 Kgs. 16:9; 20:16] It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kingsk[Hos. 4:11] to drink wine,
or for rulers to takelch. 20:1 strong drink,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
andm[Isa. 5:22, 23] pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to the one whonJob 29:13 is perishing,
and wine tooJob 3:20 those in bitter distress;
7 p[Ps. 104:15] let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 qJob 29:12, 15, 16; [Isa. 1:17] Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Open your mouth,rLev. 19:15; Deut. 1:16 judge righteously,
sJer. 22:16; [Isa. 1:17] defend the rights oftver. 20; Ps. 40:17; 86:1 the poor and needy.
10
uch. 12:4; Ruth 3:11; [ch. 18:22; 19:14] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious thanvJob 28:18 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 Shew[ver. 21, 22, 24] 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 Shex[ch. 20:13] rises while it is yet night
andyLuke 12:42; [Ps. 111:5] provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 Shez[ver. 25] dresses herself 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 Shea[Rom. 12:13; Eph. 4:28] opens her hand tob[ver. 9] the poor
and reaches out her hands tob[ver. 9] the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed inc2 Sam. 1:24 scarlet.1Or in double thickness
22 She makesdch. 7:16 bed coverings for herself;
her clothing iseGen. 41:42; Rev. 19:8, 14 fine linen andfJudg. 8:26 purple.
23 Her husband is known ingSee Ruth 4:1, 2 the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makeshJudg. 14:12; Isa. 3:23 linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 i[ver. 17] 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 “ManyjSong 6:9 women have donek[ver. 10] excellently,
but you surpass them all. ”
30 l[ch. 11:16] 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.