1 The words of King Lemuel—an instruction his mother taught him. 2 What, my son? What is it, son of my womb? What do you want, son of my vows? 3 Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to those who destroy kings. 4 It is not for kings, Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink, 5 because when they drink they forget what has been decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 6 Give strong drink to a person who is perishing and wine to those in bitter distress. 7 He will drink and he will forget his poverty and he will not remember his trouble. 8 Speak for those who cannot speak, for the causes of all who are perishing. 9 Speak out and judge by the measure of what is right and plead the cause of poor and needy people. 10 Who can find a capable wife? Her value is far more than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will never be poor. 12 She does good things for him and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She selects wool and flax, and works with the delight of her hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from far away. 15 She rises while it is night and gives food to her household, and she distributes the work for her female servants. 16 She considers a field and buys it, with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. 17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18 She perceives what will make a good profit for her; all night long her lamp is not extinguished. 19 She puts her hands on the spindle, and she holds the twisting thread. 20 She reaches out with her hand to poor people; she reaches out with her hands to needy people. 21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for her bed, and she wears clothes of fine purple linen. 23 Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land. 24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and she supplies sashes to the merchants. 25 She is clothed with strength and honor, and she laughs at the time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom and the law of kindness is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed, and her husband praises her, saying, 29 “Many women have done well, but you surpassed them all.” 30 Elegance is deceptive, beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Yahweh, she will be praised. 31 Give her the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs · Unlocked Literal Bible
Proverbs 31 Unlocked Literal Bible
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)