Proverbs 31

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.

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

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.

³ Do not give your [generative] strength to women [neither foreign wives in marriages of alliances, nor ^(c)concubines],Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

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.

⁵ Otherwise they drink and forget the law and its decrees,And pervert the rights and justice of all the afflicted.

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.

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

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.

⁹ Open your mouth, judge righteously,And administer justice for the afflicted and needy.^(C)

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.

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence],And he will have no lack of gain.

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.

¹³ She looks for wool and flaxAnd works with willing hands in delight.

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.

¹⁵ She rises also while it is still nightAnd gives food to her householdAnd assigns tasks to her maids.^(E)

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.

¹⁷ She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]And makes her arms strong.

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.

¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the ^(e)distaff,And her hands hold the spindle [as she spins wool into thread for clothing].

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.

²¹ She does not fear the snow for her household,For all in her household are clothed in [expensive] scarlet [wool].^(F)

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.

²³ Her husband is known in the [city’s] gates,When he sits among the elders of the land.^(H)

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.

²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure;And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].

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.

²⁷ She looks well to how things go in her household,And does not eat the bread of idleness.^(I)

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!"

²⁹ “Many daughters have done nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness],^(f)But you excel them all.”

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.

³¹ Give her of the product of her hands,And let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city].^(J)