Proverbs 31

¹ The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.

¹ The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

¹ The words of King Lemuel, the ^(a)oracle which his mother taught him:

¹ The words of King Lemuel,an oracle^(a)(A) that his mother taught him:

¹ The words of King Lemuel a pronouncement with which his mother encouraged him.

³ Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which is the destruction of kings.

³ Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

^{3 (C)}Do not give your strength to women,Or your ways to that which ^(D)destroys kings.

³ Don’t spend your energy^(C) on womenor your efforts on those who destroy kings.^(D)

³ Never devote all your energy to sex, or dedicate your life to destroying kings.

⁵ For fear that through drinking they may come to have no respect for the law, wrongly judging the cause of those who are in trouble.

⁵ Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

⁵ For they will drink and forget what is decreed,And ^(G)pervert the ^(b)rights of all the ^(c)afflicted.

⁵ Otherwise, they^(b) will drink,forget what is decreed,^(G)and pervert justice for all the oppressed.^(c)(H)

⁵ Otherwise, they may drink and forget what has been ordained, perverting justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ Let him have drink, and his need will go from his mind, and the memory of his trouble will be gone.

⁷ Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

⁷ Let him drink and forget his povertyAnd remember his trouble no more.

⁷ Let him drink so that he can forget his povertyand remember his trouble no more.^(J)

⁷ Let him drink, forget his poverty, and remember his troubles no more.

⁹ Let your mouth be open, judging rightly, and give right decisions in the cause of the poor and those in need.

⁹ Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

⁹ Open your mouth, ^(K)judge righteously,And ^(g)defend the ^(L)rights of the afflicted and needy.

⁹ Speak up,^(g) judge righteously,^(L)and defend the cause of^(h) the oppressed and needy.^(M)

⁹ Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.

¹¹ The heart of her husband has faith in her, and he will have profit in full measure.

¹¹ The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,And he will have no lack of gain.

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will not lack anything good.

¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her; as a result, he lacks nothing of value.

¹³ She gets wool and linen, working at the business of her hands.

¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

¹³ She looks for wool and flaxAnd works with her ^(h)hands ⁽ⁱ⁾in delight.

¹³ She selects wool and flaxand works with willing hands.

¹³ She seeks out wool and flax, working with eager hands.

¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night, and gives meat to her family, and their food to her servant-girls.

¹⁵ She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

¹⁵ She ^(P)rises also while it is still nightAnd ^(Q)gives food to her householdAnd ^(j)portions to her maidens.

¹⁵ She rises while it is still night^(P)and provides food for her householdand portions^(k) for her female servants.^(Q)

¹⁵ She rises while it is still night, preparing meals for her family and providing for her women servants.

¹⁷ She puts a band of strength round her, and makes her arms strong.

¹⁷ She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

¹⁷ She ^(R)girds ^(l)herself with strengthAnd makes her arms strong.

¹⁷ She draws on her strength^(m)and reveals that her arms are strong.^(S)

¹⁷ She clothes herself with fortitude, and fortifies her arms with strength.

¹⁹ She puts her hands to the cloth-working rod, and her fingers take the wheel.

¹⁹ She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,And her ^(m)hands grasp the spindle.

¹⁹ She extends her hands to the spinning staff,and her hands hold the spindle.^(U)

¹⁹ She works with her own hands on her clothes her hands work the sewing spindle.

²¹ She has no fear of the snow for her family, for all those in her house are clothed in red.

²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

²¹ She is not afraid of the snow for her household,For all her household are ^(T)clothed with scarlet.

²¹ She is not afraid for her household when it snows,for all in her household are doubly clothed.^(o)

²¹ She is unafraid of winter's effect on her household, because all of them are warmly clothed.

²³ Her husband is a man of note in the public place, when he takes his seat among the responsible men of the land.

²³ Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

²³ Her husband is known ^(X)in the gates,When he sits among the elders of the land.

²³ Her husband is known at the city gates,where he sits among the elders of the land.^(Z)

²³ Her husband is well known; he sits among the leaders of the land.

²⁵ Strength and self-respect are her clothing; she is facing the future with a smile.

²⁵ Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

²⁵ Strength and ^(Z)dignity are her clothing,And she smiles at the ^(q)future.

²⁵ Strength^(AA) and honor are her clothing,^(AB)and she can laugh at the time to come.^(AC)

²⁵ Strength and dignity are her garments; she smiles about the future.

²⁷ She gives attention to the ways of her family, she does not take her food without working for it.

²⁷ She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household,And does not eat the ^(AB)bread of idleness.

²⁷ She watches over the activities of her household^(AD)and is never idle.^(r)

²⁷ She looks discretely to the affairs of her household, and she is never lazy.

²⁹ Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them.

²⁹ Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

²⁹ “Many daughters have done nobly,But you excel them all.”

²⁹ “Many women^(s) are capable,but you surpass them all!”^(AE)

²⁹ "Many women have done wonderful things," he says, "but you surpass all of them!"

³¹ Give her credit for what her hands have made: let her be praised by her works in the public place.

³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

³¹ Give her the ^(t)product of her hands,And let her works praise her in the gates.

³¹ Give her the reward of her labor,^(t)and let her works praise her at the city gates.

³¹ Reward her for her work let her actions result in public praise.