Admonitions to a King

31¹ Words of Lemuel a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: ² 'What, my son? and what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? ³ Give not to women thy strength, And thy ways to wiping away of kings. ⁴ Not for kings, O Lemuel, Not for kings, to drink wine, And for princes a desire of strong drink. ⁵ Lest he drink, and forget the decree, And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. ⁶ Give strong drink to the perishing, And wine to the bitter in soul, ⁷ He drinketh, and forgetteth his poverty, And his misery he remembereth not again. ⁸ Open thy mouth for the dumb, For the right of all sons of change. ⁹ Open thy mouth, judge righteously, Both the cause of the poor and needy!'

Praise of a Good Woman

¹⁰ A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies 'is' her price. ¹¹ The heart of her husband hath trusted in her, And spoil he lacketh not. ¹² She hath done him good, and not evil, All days of her life. ¹³ She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh 'with' her hands. ¹⁴ She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread. ¹⁵ Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels. ¹⁶ She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard. ¹⁷ She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms. ¹⁸ She hath perceived when her merchandise 'is' good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. ¹⁹ Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff. ²⁰ Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy. ²¹ She is not afraid of her household from snow, For all her household are clothed 'with' scarlet. ²² Ornamental coverings she hath made for herself, Silk and purple 'are' her clothing. ²³ Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land. ²⁴ Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant. ²⁵ Strength and honour 'are' her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day. ²⁶ Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness 'is' on her tongue. ²⁷ She 'is' watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not. ²⁸ Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her, ²⁹ 'Many 'are' the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.' ³⁰ The grace 'is' false, and the beauty 'is' vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself. ³¹ Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!

Exhortations to Obedience

3¹ My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, ² For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. ³ Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, ⁴ And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. ⁵ Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. ⁶ In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. ⁸ Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. ⁹ Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; ¹⁰ And filled are thy barns 'with' plenty, And 'with' new wine thy presses break forth. ¹¹ Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, ¹² For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

¹³ O the happiness of a man 'who' hath found wisdom, And of a man 'who' bringeth forth understanding. ¹⁴ For better 'is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase. ¹⁵ Precious she 'is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. ¹⁶ Length of days 'is' in her right hand, In her left 'are' wealth and honour. ¹⁷ Her ways 'are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths 'are' peace. ¹⁸ A tree of life she 'is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her 'is' happy. ¹⁹ Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. ²⁰ By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

²¹ My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, ²² And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. ²³ Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. ²⁴ If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. ²⁵ Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. ²⁶ For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

²⁷ Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand 'is' toward God to do 'it'. ²⁸ Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. ²⁹ Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. ³⁰ Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. ³¹ Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. ³² For an abomination to Jehovah 'is' the perverted, And with the upright 'is' His secret counsel. ³³ The curse of Jehovah 'is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. ³⁴ If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. ³⁵ Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!