Chapter 31

¹The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him. ²What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows? ³Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings. ⁴Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth: ⁵And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor. ⁶Give strong drink to them that are sad: and wine to them that are grieved in mind: ⁷Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more. ⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass. ⁹Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor. ¹⁰Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. ¹¹The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. ¹²She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. ¹³She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. ¹⁴She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar. ¹⁵And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens. ¹⁶She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. ¹⁷She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm. ¹⁸She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night. ¹⁹She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. ²⁰She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. ²¹She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for dl her domestics are clothed with double garments. ²²She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering. ²³Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land. ²⁴She made fine linen, and sold it, end delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite. ²⁵Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day. ²⁶She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue. ²⁷She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle. ²⁸Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her. ²⁹Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all. ³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. ³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.