Proverbs 31

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

²What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows?

³Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to them that destroy kings.

⁴It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for rulers [to say], Where is the strong drink?

⁵— lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the children of affliction.

⁶Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter of soul:

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

⁸Open thy mouth for the dumb, for the cause of all those that are left desolate.

⁹Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and minister justice to the afflicted and needy.

¹⁰Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.

¹¹The heart of her husband confideth in her, and he shall have no lack of spoil.

¹²She doeth him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.

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

¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships: she bringeth her food from afar;

¹⁵And she riseth while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and the day's work to her maidens.