¹The words of Lemuel the king – the burden which his mother taught him.

²What, my son?

And what, O son of my womb?

And what, O son of my vows?

³Do not give your strength to women,

Or engage on ways

Liable to wipe out kings.

⁴It is not fitting for kings, Lemuel,

It is not fitting for kings to drink wine,

Nor for princes to drink any strong liquor,

⁵Lest he should drink and forget what is decreed,

And he subverts the justice of any of the afflicted.

⁶Give strong liquor to him who is perishing,

And wine to the inwardly bitter.

⁷Let him drink and forget his poverty,

And no longer remember his sorrow.

⁸Open your mouth to the mute

And for the justice of all those passing away.

⁹Open your mouth,

Judge righteously,

And defend the poor and needy.

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous wife,

Whose value is far above red corals?

¹¹Her husband's heart will put trust in her,

And gain will not be lacking.

¹²She will bestow good on him, and not evil,

All the days of her life.

¹³She asks for wool and flax,

And works with her hands with pleasure.

¹⁴She is like a merchant's ships;

She brings her food in from a long way off.

¹⁵And she arises while it is still night

And gives food to her household

And instructions to her maidservants.

¹⁶She considers a field

And acquires it;

By the fruitful work of her hands

A vineyard is planted.

¹⁷She girds her loins with strength

And puts energy into her arms.

¹⁸She verifies that her merchandise is good,

And her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹She applies her arm to the distaff,

And her hand holds the spindle.

²⁰Her hand distributes to the poor,

And she extends her arms to the needy.

²¹She does not fear snow in her house,

For all her household are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes herself drapery;

Fine linen and purple are her attire.

²³Her husband is known at the gates

When he sits with the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen and sells it,

And she supplies the merchant with girdles.

²⁵Strength and dignity are her attire,

And she will laugh on the last day.

²⁶She opens her mouth with wisdom,

And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches the proceedings of her household closely,

And she does not eat the bread of laziness.

²⁸Her sons arise and call her blessed,

As does her husband,

And he praises her.

²⁹Many daughters have conducted themselves virtuously,

But you have surpassed them all.

³⁰Elegance is a delusion,

And beauty is a vain thing,

But it is a woman who fears the Lord

Who will be praised.

³¹Give her the fruit of her hands,

And may her deeds occasion her praise at the gates.