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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