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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.
The Book of Proverbs is provided for non-commercial purposes by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Computer Analysis of Texts. Licensing information can be found here.
The Book of Proverbs is provided for non-commercial purposes by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Computer Analysis of Texts. Licensing information can be found here.
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