1 Words of Lemuel, a king, a declaration that his mother taught him: 2 “What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, || And your ways to wiping away of kings. 4 [It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, || Not for kings, to drink wine, || And for princes—a desire of strong drink. 5 Lest he drink, and forget the decree, || And change the judgment of any of the sons of affliction. 6 Give strong drink to the perishing, || And wine to the bitter in soul, 7 He drinks, and forgets his poverty, || And he does not remember his misery again. 8 Open your mouth for the mute, || For the right of all sons of change. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, || Both the cause of the poor and needy!” 10 [ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies. 11 The heart of her husband has trusted in her, || And he does not lack spoil. 12 She has done him good, and not evil, || All [the] days of her life. 13 She has sought wool and flax, || And with delight she works [with] her hands. 14 She has been as ships of the merchant, || She brings in her bread from afar. 15 Indeed, she rises while yet night, || And gives food to her household, || And a portion to her girls. 16 She has considered a field, and takes it, || She has planted a vineyard from the fruit of her hands. 17 She has girded her loins with might, || And strengthens her arms. 18 She has perceived when her merchandise [is] good, || Her lamp is not extinguished in the night. 19 She has sent forth her hands on a spindle, || And her hands have held a distaff. 20 She has spread forth her hand to the poor, || Indeed, she sent forth her hands to the needy. 21 She is not afraid of her household from snow, || For all her household are clothed [with] scarlet. 22 She has made ornamental coverings for herself, || Silk and purple [are] her clothing. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, || In his sitting with [the] elderly of [the] land. 24 She has made linen garments, and sells, || And she has given a girdle to the merchant. 25 Strength and honor [are] her clothing, || And she rejoices at a latter day. 26 She has opened her mouth in wisdom, || And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue. 27 She [is] watching the ways of her household, || And she does not eat bread of sloth. 28 Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her blessed, || Her husband, and he praises her, 29 “The daughters who have done worthily [are] many, || You have gone up above them all.” 30 Favor [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain, || A woman fearing YHWH, she may boast herself. 31 Give to her of the fruit of her hands, || And her works praise her in the gates!
Proverbs · Literal Standard Version
Proverbs 31 Literal Standard Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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Lemuel
A king whose words, taught him by his mother, are recorded in Proverbs 31.
Cited in the guide: Proverbs 31:1
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:5; Proverbs 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:15; Proverbs 30:1
- 2 Isaiah 49:15; 1 Samuel 1:11; 1 Samuel 1:28
- 3 Deuteronomy 17:17; Nehemiah 13:26; Proverbs 7:26–27; Proverbs 5:9–11; 1 Kings 11:1
- 4 Proverbs 20:1; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Isaiah 5:22; Hosea 4:11–12; Habakkuk 2:5
- 5 Habakkuk 2:5
- 6 1 Timothy 5:23; Psalm 104:15; 1 Samuel 1:10; Job 3:20; 2 Kings 4:27
- 7 Ephesians 5:18
- 8 Psalm 82:3–4; Proverbs 24:11–12; Jeremiah 38:7–10; Jeremiah 26:24; Esther 4:13–16
- 9 Isaiah 1:17; Amos 5:11–12; Leviticus 19:15; Job 29:15–16; Deuteronomy 1:16
- 10 Proverbs 19:14; Proverbs 12:4; Ephesians 5:25–33; Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 3:15
- 11 1 Peter 3:1–7
- 13 1 Timothy 5:10; Titus 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12; Acts 9:39–40; Ruth 2:23
- 14 Ezekiel 27:3–36; 1 Kings 9:26–28
- 15 Romans 12:11; Mark 1:35; Luke 12:42; Proverbs 20:13; Ecclesiastes 9:10
- 16 Matthew 13:44; Song of Songs 8:12; Joshua 15:18
- 17 Job 38:3; 1 Peter 1:13; Ephesians 6:10; Luke 12:35; Ephesians 6:14
- 18 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Matthew 25:3–10; Genesis 31:40; Psalm 127:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9
- 19 Exodus 35:25–26
- 20 Ephesians 4:28; Hebrews 13:16; Proverbs 19:17; Proverbs 22:9; Romans 12:13
- 21 Genesis 45:22; Proverbs 25:20; 2 Samuel 1:24
- 22 Revelation 19:8; Proverbs 7:16; Genesis 41:42; Ezekiel 16:10–13; Esther 8:15
- 23 Proverbs 12:4; Ruth 4:1; Deuteronomy 16:18; Ruth 4:11; Job 29:7
- 24 Luke 16:19; Ezekiel 27:16; 1 Kings 10:28; Proverbs 31:19; Judges 14:12
- 25 Job 40:10; Romans 13:14; 1 Timothy 2:10; Ephesians 4:24; Job 29:14
- 26 Ephesians 4:29; Proverbs 16:24; Proverbs 10:31; Proverbs 12:18; Colossians 4:5
- 27 1 Timothy 5:10; Titus 2:4; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; Proverbs 14:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:11
- 28 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 Kings 2:19; Proverbs 31:1; Psalm 116:16
- 29 Song of Songs 6:8–9; Ephesians 5:27
- 30 Proverbs 1:7; 1 Peter 3:4–5; Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 8:13; 1 Peter 1:24
- 31 Psalm 128:2; Hebrews 6:10; Revelation 14:13; Matthew 7:16; Romans 16:1–4
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And mercy is in His tongue, therefore mercifully teacheth He the law, as it is said regarding wisdom, "The law and mercy doth she carry in her tongue." Do not fear that thou art not able to fulfill the law, flee to mercy.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)