Sayings of King Lemuel

¹The sayings of King Lemuel – an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

²Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!

Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!

³Do not spend your strength on women,

your vigour on those who ruin kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel –

it is not for kings to drink wine,

not for rulers to crave beer,

⁵lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,

and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.

⁶Let beer be for those who are perishing,

wine for those who are in anguish!

⁷Let them drink and forget their poverty

and remember their misery no more.

⁸Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

⁹Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: the wife of noble character

¹⁰  A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

¹¹Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

¹²She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

¹³She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵She gets up while it is still night;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her female servants.

¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

¹⁸She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

²⁰She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

²¹When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

²²She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

²³Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

²⁶She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

²⁷She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

²⁹‘Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.’

³⁰Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

³¹Honour her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

¹My son, do not forget my teaching,

but keep my commands in your heart,

²for they will prolong your life many years

and bring you peace and prosperity.

³Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

bind them round your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Then you will win favour and a good name

in the sight of God and man.

⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

⁷Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord and shun evil.

⁸This will bring health to your body

and nourishment to your bones.

⁹Honour the Lord with your wealth,

with the firstfruits of all your crops;

¹⁰then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

and your vats will brim over with new wine.

¹¹My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,

and do not resent his rebuke,

¹²because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

as a father the son he delights in.

¹³Blessed are those who find wisdom,

those who gain understanding,

¹⁴for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

¹⁵She is more precious than rubies;

nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹⁶Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honour.

¹⁷Her ways are pleasant ways,

and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;

those who hold her fast will be blessed.

¹⁹By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,

by understanding he set the heavens in place;

²⁰by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

²¹My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,

preserve sound judgment and discretion;

²²they will be life for you,

an ornament to grace your neck.

²³Then you will go on your way in safety,

and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

²⁶for the Lord will be at your side

and will keep your foot from being snared.

²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to act.

²⁸Do not say to your neighbour,

‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’ –

when you already have it with you.

²⁹Do not plot harm against your neighbour,

who lives trustfully near you.

³⁰Do not accuse anyone for no reason –

when they have done you no harm.

³¹Do not envy the violent

or choose any of their ways.

³²For the Lord detests the perverse

but takes the upright into his confidence.

³³The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the home of the righteous.

³⁴He mocks proud mockers

but shows favour to the humble and oppressed.

³⁵The wise inherit honour,

but fools get only shame.