Proverbs 31

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa. The advice which his mother gave him:	1 The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.
2 What, my son, my first-born! what, O son of my womb; what, O son of my vows!	2 What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?
3 Give not your vigor to women, nor your strength to those who ruin kings.	3 Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings to drink wine; strong drink is not for princes!	4 Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:
5 Lest in drinking they forget what the law decrees, and violate the rights of all who are in need.	5 And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the sorely depressed;	6 Give strong drink to them that are sad: and wine to them that are grieved in mind:
7 When they drink, they will forget their misery, and think no more of their burdens.	7 Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.
8 Open your mouth in behalf of the dumb, and for the rights of the destitute;	8 Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.
9 Open your mouth, decree what is just, defend the needy and the poor!	9 Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.
10 When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.	10 Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
11 Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.	11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
12 She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.	12 She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13 She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands.	13 She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
14 Like merchant ships, she secures her provisions from afar.	14 She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
15 She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household.	15 And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
16 She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.	16 She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17 She is girt about with strength, and sturdy are her arms.	17 She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
18 She enjoys the success of her dealings; at night her lamp is undimmed.	18 She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.	19 She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
20 She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.	20 She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
21 She fears not the snow for her household; all her charges are doubly clothed.	21 She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for dl her domestics are clothed with double garments.
22 She makes her own coverlets; fine linen and purple are her clothing.	22 She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering.
23 Her husband is prominent at the city gates as he sits with the elders of the land.	23 Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
24 She makes garments and sells them, and stocks the merchants with belts.	24 She made fine linen, and sold it, end delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.	25 Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel.	26 She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
27 She watches the conduct of her household, and eats not her food in idleness.	27 She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
28 Her children rise up and praise her; her husband, too, extols her:	28 Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
29 "Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all."	29 Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.	30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.	31 Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.