Proverbs 31 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

The Sayings of King Lemuel

Pro 31:1

Pro 31:1The sayings of King Lemuel contain this message,[fn] which his mother taught him.

Pro 31:2

Pro 31:2O my son, O son of my womb,
O son of my vows,

Pro 31:3

Pro 31:3do not waste your strength on women,
on those who ruin kings.

Pro 31:4

Pro 31:4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.

Pro 31:5

Pro 31:5For if they drink, they may forget the law
and not give justice to the oppressed.

Pro 31:6

Pro 31:6Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.

Pro 31:7

Pro 31:7Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.

Pro 31:8

Pro 31:8Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
ensure justice for those being crushed.

Pro 31:9

Pro 31:9Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice.

A Wife of Noble Character

Pro 31:10

Pro 31:10 [fn]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.

Pro 31:11

Pro 31:11Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.

Pro 31:12

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

Pro 31:13

Pro 31:13She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.

Pro 31:14

Pro 31:14She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.

Pro 31:15

Pro 31:15She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

Pro 31:16

Pro 31:16She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Pro 31:17

Pro 31:17She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.

Pro 31:18

Pro 31:18She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.

Pro 31:19

Pro 31:19Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.

Pro 31:20

Pro 31:20She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.

Pro 31:21

Pro 31:21She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm[fn] clothes.

Pro 31:22

Pro 31:22She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

Pro 31:23

Pro 31:23Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.

Pro 31:24

Pro 31:24She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.

Pro 31:25

Pro 31:25She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.

Pro 31:26

Pro 31:26When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.

Pro 31:27

Pro 31:27She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.

Pro 31:28

Pro 31:28Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:

Pro 31:29

Pro 31:29“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”

Pro 31:30

Pro 31:30Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

Pro 31:31

Pro 31:31Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

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

NLT Footnotes

(31:1)

Or of Lemuel, king of Massa; or of King Lemuel, an oracle.

(31:10)

Verses 10-31 comprise a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

(31:21)

As in Greek and Latin versions; Hebrew reads scarlet.

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Proverbs Chapter 31 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New King James Version 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 Living Translation (NLT)

NLT Footnotes

Proverbs Chapter 31 — Additional Translations:

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