Proverbs 31 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

The Words of King Lemuel

Pro 31:1

Pro 31:1The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

Pro 31:2

Pro 31:2What are you doing, my son?[fn] What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?

Pro 31:3

Pro 31:3Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.

Pro 31:4

Pro 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,

Pro 31:5

Pro 31:5lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

Pro 31:6

Pro 31:6Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;[fn]

Pro 31:7

Pro 31:7let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.

Pro 31:8

Pro 31:8Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.[fn]

Pro 31:9

Pro 31:9Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

Pro 31:10

Pro 31:10 [fn] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

Pro 31:11

Pro 31:11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.

Pro 31:12

Pro 31:12She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

Pro 31:13

Pro 31:13She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

Pro 31:14

Pro 31:14She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.

Pro 31:15

Pro 31:15She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.

Pro 31:16

Pro 31:16She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Pro 31:17

Pro 31:17She dresses herself[fn] with strength
and makes her arms strong.

Pro 31:18

Pro 31:18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.

Pro 31:19

Pro 31:19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.

Pro 31:20

Pro 31:20She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Pro 31:21

Pro 31:21She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[fn]

Pro 31:22

Pro 31:22She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Pro 31:23

Pro 31:23Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.

Pro 31:24

Pro 31:24She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Pro 31:25

Pro 31:25Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.

Pro 31:26

Pro 31:26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Pro 31:27

Pro 31:27She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Pro 31:28

Pro 31:28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

Pro 31:29

Pro 31:29“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”

Pro 31:30

Pro 31:30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Pro 31:31

Pro 31:31Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

See the ESV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

ESV Footnotes

(31:2)

Hebrew What, my son?

(31:6)

Hebrew those bitter in soul

(31:8)

Hebrew are sons of passing away

(31:10)

Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet

(31:17)

Hebrew She girds her loins

(31:21)

Or in double thickness

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For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.