Proverbs 31

Complete Jewish Bible

31 The words of King L’mu’el, the prophecy with which his mother disciplined him:

² No, my son! No, son of my womb!
    No, son of my vows!
³ Don’t give your strength to women
    or your ways to that which destroys kings.
⁴ It is not for kings, L’mu’el,
    not for kings to drink wine;
it is not for rulers to ask,
    “Where can I find strong liquor?”
⁵ For they may drink, then forget what has been decreed,
    and pervert the justice due to the poor.
⁶ Give strong liquor to one who is perishing,
    wine to the deeply depressed;
⁷ let him drink, forget his poverty
    and cease to remember his troubles.

⁸ Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who need an advocate.
⁹ Speak up, judge righteously,
    defend the cause of the poor and the needy.

א ¹⁰ Who can find a capable wife?
        Her value is far beyond that of pearls.
ב ¹¹ Her husband trusts her from his heart,
        and she will prove a great asset to him.
ג ¹² She works to bring him good, not harm,
        all the days of her life.

ד ¹³ She procures a supply of wool and flax
        and works with willing hands.
ה ¹⁴ She is like those merchant vessels,
        bringing her food from far away.
ו ¹⁵ It’s still dark when she rises to give food to her household
        and orders to the young women serving her.

ז ¹⁶ She considers a field, then buys it,
        and from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
ח ¹⁷ She gathers her strength around her
        and throws herself into her work.
ט ¹⁸ She sees that her business affairs go well;
        her lamp stays lit at night.

י ¹⁹ She puts her hands to the staff with the flax;
        her fingers hold the spinning rod.
כ ²⁰ She reaches out to embrace the poor
        and opens her arms to the needy.

ל ²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
        since all of them are doubly clothed.
מ ²² She makes her own quilts;
        she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

נ ²³ Her husband is known at the city gates
        when he sits with the leaders of the land.
ס ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
        she supplies the merchants with sashes.

ע ²⁵ Clothed with strength and dignity,
        she can laugh at the days to come.
פ ²⁶ When she opens her mouth, she speaks wisely;
        on her tongue is loving instruction.
צ ²⁷ She watches how things go in her house,
        not eating the bread of idleness.

ק ²⁸ Her children arise; they make her happy;
        her husband too, as he praises her:
ר ²⁹ “Many women have done wonderful things,
        but you surpass them all!”

ש ³⁰ Charm can lie, beauty can vanish,
        but a woman who fears Adonai should be praised.
ת ³¹ Give her a share in what she produces;
        let her works speak her praises at the city gates.