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From the Blue Letter Bible
New Living Translation
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| These are the sayings of King Lemuel, an oracle[fn1] that his mother taught him. | |
| O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my promises, | |
| do not spend your strength on women, on those who ruin kings. | |
| And it is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine. Rulers should not crave liquor. | |
| For if they drink, they may forget their duties and be unable to give justice to those who are oppressed. | |
| Liquor is for the dying, and wine for those in deep depression. | |
| Let them drink to forget their poverty and remember their troubles no more. | |
| Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those who are perishing. | |
| Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice. | |
| Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. | |
| Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. | |
| She will not hinder him but help him all her life. | |
| She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. | |
| She is like a merchant's ship; she brings her food from afar. | |
| She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day's work for her servant girls. | |
| She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. | |
| She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. | |
| She watches for bargains; her lights burn late into the night. | |
| Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. | |
| She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. | |
| She has no fear of winter for her household because all of them have warm[fn2] clothes. | |
| She quilts her own bedspreads. She dresses like royalty in gowns of finest cloth. | |
| Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council meeting with the other civic leaders. | |
| She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. | |
| She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs with no fear of the future. | |
| When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule when she gives instructions. | |
| She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness. | |
| Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: | |
| "There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!" | |
| Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. | |
| Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. | |
| Footnotes: | |
Or of Lemuel, king of Massa. |
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As in Greek version; Hebrew scarlet. |
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| Proverbs 31 | ||
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
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