Chapter 31

¹ My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed. ² What will you keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to you: what? son of my womb? what? * son of my vows? ³ Give not your wealth to women, nor your mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel. ⁴ Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine: ⁵ lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly. ⁶ Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain: ⁷ that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more. ⁸ Open your mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly. ⁹ Open your mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.

Pr 31:1-9

¹⁰ Who shall find a virtuous woman?

Pr 31:10

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her:

Pr 31:11

¹² For she employs all her living for her husband’s good.

Pr 31:12

¹³ Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.

Pr 31:13

¹⁴ She is like a ship trading from a distance:

Pr 31:14

¹⁵ And she rises by night,

Pr 31:15

¹⁶ She views a farm, and buys it:

Pr 31:16

¹⁷ She strongly girds her loins,

Pr 31:17

¹⁸ And she finds by experience that working is good;

Pr 31:18

¹⁹ She reaches forth her arms to needful [works],

Pr 31:19

²⁰ And she opens her hands to the needy,

Pr 31:20

²¹ Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad:

Pr 31:21

²² She makes for her husband clothes of double texture,

Pr 31:22

²³ And her husband becomes a distinguished [person] in the gates,

Pr 31:23

²⁴ She makes fine linens,

Pr 31:24

²⁵ She puts on strength and honor;

Pr 31:25

²⁶ The ways of her household are careful,

Pr 31:26

²⁷ But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.

Pr 31:27

²⁸ And [her] kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich,

Pr 31:28

²⁹ Many daughters have obtained wealth,

Pr 31:29

³⁰ Charms are false, and woman’s beauty is vain:

Pr 31:30

³¹ Give her of the fruit of her lips;

Pr 31:31