Proverbs 31 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

Pro 31:1

Pro 31:1The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

Pro 31:2

Pro 31:2What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?

Pro 31:3

Pro 31:3Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

Pro 31:4

Pro 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;

Pro 31:5

Pro 31:5Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

Pro 31:6

Pro 31:6Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.

Pro 31:7

Pro 31:7Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.

Pro 31:8

Pro 31:8Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.[fn]

Pro 31:9

Pro 31:9Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

Pro 31:10

Pro 31:10Who[fn] can find a virtuous[fn] wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.

Pro 31:11

Pro 31:11The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.

Pro 31:12

Pro 31:12She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.

Pro 31:13

Pro 31:13She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.

Pro 31:14

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

Pro 31:15

Pro 31:15She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.

Pro 31:16

Pro 31:16She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.

Pro 31:17

Pro 31:17She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.

Pro 31:18

Pro 31:18She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.

Pro 31:19

Pro 31:19She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.

Pro 31:20

Pro 31:20She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she 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 is clothed with scarlet.

Pro 31:22

Pro 31:22She makes tapestry 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,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.

Pro 31:25

Pro 31:25Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.

Pro 31:26

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

Pro 31:27

Pro 31:27She watches over 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 daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”

Pro 31:30

Pro 31:30Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Pro 31:31

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

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

NKJV Footnotes

(31:8)

Literally sons of passing away

(31:10)

Verses 10 through 31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew (compare Psalm 119).

(31:10)

Literally a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence

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

Proverbs Chapter 31 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Westminster Leningrad Codex Septuagint Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Brenton's English Septuagint Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras

Proverbs 31 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

NKJV Footnotes

Proverbs Chapter 31 — Additional Translations:

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