Proverbs

¹The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which his mother instructed him: ↗

²”What, O my beloved? What, O beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows? ↗

³Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings. ↗

⁴Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns. ↗

⁵And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor. ↗

⁶Give strong drink to the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul. ↗

⁷Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more. ↗

⁸Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through. ↗

⁹Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor. ↗

¹⁰Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price. ↗

¹¹The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils. ↗

¹²She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life. ↗

¹³She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands. ↗

¹⁴She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away. ↗

¹⁵And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids. ↗

¹⁶She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard. ↗

¹⁷She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm. ↗

¹⁸She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night. ↗

¹⁹She has put her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. ↗

²⁰She has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended her hands to the poor. ↗

²¹She shall not fear, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold. ↗

²²She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment. ↗

²³Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land. ↗

²⁴She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite. ↗

²⁵Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days. ↗

²⁶She has opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. ↗

²⁷She has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness. ↗

²⁸Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her. ↗

²⁹Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all. ↗

³⁰Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised. ↗

³¹Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates. ↗