Proverbs 31

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The words of Lemuel, king of Massa. The advice which his mother gave him:	1 The words of king Lamuel. The vision by which 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 beloved of my womb? What, O beloved of my vows?
3 Give not your vigor to women, nor your strength to those who ruin kings.	3 Do not give your substance to women, or your riches to overthrow kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, not for kings to drink wine; strong drink is not for princes!	4 Not to kings, O Lamuel, not to kings give wine. For there are no secrets where drunkenness reigns.
5 Lest in drinking they forget what the law decrees, and violate the rights of all who are in need.	5 And perhaps they may drink and forget judgments, and alter the case of the sons of the poor.
6 Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the sorely depressed;	6 Give strong drink to the grieving, and wine to those who are bitter in soul.
7 When they drink, they will forget their misery, and think no more of their burdens.	7 Let them drink, and forget their needs, and remember their sorrow no more.
8 Open your mouth in behalf of the dumb, and for the rights of the destitute;	8 Open your mouth for the mute and for all the cases of the sons who are passing through.
9 Open your mouth, decree what is just, defend the needy and the poor!	9 Open your mouth, declare what is just, and do justice to the indigent and the poor.
10 When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls.	10 Who shall find a strong woman? Far away, and from the furthest parts, is her price.
11 Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.	11 The heart of her husband confides in her, and he will not be deprived of spoils.
12 She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.	12 She will repay him with good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13 She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands.	13 She has sought wool and flax, and she has worked these by the counsel of her hands.
14 Like merchant ships, she secures her provisions from afar.	14 She has become like a merchant’s ship, bringing her bread from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night, and distributes food to her household.	15 And she has risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and provisions to her maids.
16 She picks out a field to purchase; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.	16 She has considered a field and bought it. From the fruit of her own hands, she has planted a vineyard.
17 She is girt about with strength, and sturdy are her arms.	17 She has wrapped her waist with fortitude, and she has strengthened her arm.
18 She enjoys the success of her dealings; at night her lamp is undimmed.	18 She has tasted and seen that her tasks are good; her lamp shall not be extinguished at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.	19 She has put 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 has opened her hand to the needy, and she has extended 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, in the cold of snow, for her household. For all those of her household have been clothed two-fold.
22 She makes her own coverlets; fine linen and purple are her clothing.	22 She has made embroidered clothing for herself. Fine linen and purple is her garment.
23 Her husband is prominent at the city gates as he sits with the elders of the land.	23 Her husband is noble at the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land.
24 She makes garments and sells them, and stocks the merchants with belts.	24 She has made finely woven cloth and sold it, and she has delivered a waistband to the Canaanite.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come.	25 Strength and elegance are her clothing, and she will laugh in the final days.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel.	26 She has 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 has considered the paths of her household, and she has not eaten her bread in idleness.
28 Her children rise up and praise her; her husband, too, extols her:	28 Her sons rose up and predicted great happiness; her husband rose up and praised her.
29 "Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all."	29 Many daughters have gathered together riches; you have surpassed them all.
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.	30 Charm is false, and beauty is vain. The woman who fears the Lord, the same shall be praised.
31 Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.	31 Give to her from the fruit of her own hands. And let her works praise her at the gates.