<h3>Sayings of King Lemuel</h3>31 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.<poetry> 2 <poetry>Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! <indent>Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers! </indent> </poetry> 3 <poetry>Do not spend your strength on women, <indent>your vigor on those who ruin kings. </indent><poetry></poetry> 4 <poetry>It is not for kings, Lemuel— <indent>it is not for kings to drink wine, </indent> <indent>not for rulers to crave beer,</indent> </poetry> 5 <poetry>lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, <indent>and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.</indent> </poetry> 6 <poetry>Let beer be for those who are perishing, <indent>wine for those who are in anguish!</indent> </poetry> 7 <poetry>Let them drink and forget their poverty <indent>and remember their misery no more.</indent><poetry></poetry> 8 <poetry>Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, <indent>for the rights of all who are destitute.</indent> </poetry> 9 <poetry>Speak up and judge fairly; <indent>defend the rights of the poor and needy. </indent></poetry> <h3>Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character</h3> 10 <poetry> A wife of noble character who can find? <indent>She is worth far more than rubies.</indent> </poetry> 11 <poetry>Her husband has full confidence in her <indent>and lacks nothing of value. </indent> </poetry> 12 <poetry>She brings him good, not harm, <indent>all the days of her life.</indent> </poetry> 13 <poetry>She selects wool and flax <indent>and works with eager hands. </indent> </poetry> 14 <poetry>She is like the merchant ships, <indent>bringing her food from afar.</indent> </poetry> 15 <poetry>She gets up while it is still night; <indent>she provides food for her family</indent> <indent>and portions for her female servants.</indent> </poetry> 16 <poetry>She considers a field and buys it; <indent>out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.</indent> </poetry> 17 <poetry>She sets about her work vigorously; <indent>her arms are strong for her tasks.</indent> </poetry> 18 <poetry>She sees that her trading is profitable, <indent>and her lamp does not go out at night.</indent> </poetry> 19 <poetry>In her hand she holds the distaff <indent>and grasps the spindle with her fingers.</indent> </poetry> 20 <poetry>She opens her arms to the poor <indent>and extends her hands to the needy. </indent> </poetry> 21 <poetry>When it snows, she has no fear for her household; <indent>for all of them are clothed in scarlet.</indent> </poetry> 22 <poetry>She makes coverings for her bed; <indent>she is clothed in fine linen and purple.</indent> </poetry> 23 <poetry>Her husband is respected at the city gate, <indent>where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.</indent> </poetry> 24 <poetry>She makes linen garments and sells them, <indent>and supplies the merchants with sashes.</indent> </poetry> 25 <poetry>She is clothed with strength and dignity; <indent>she can laugh at the days to come.</indent> </poetry> 26 <poetry>She speaks with wisdom, <indent>and faithful instruction is on her tongue. </indent> </poetry> 27 <poetry>She watches over the affairs of her household <indent>and does not eat the bread of idleness.</indent> </poetry> 28 <poetry>Her children arise and call her blessed; <indent>her husband also, and he praises her:</indent> </poetry> 29 <poetry>“Many women do noble things, <indent>but you surpass them all.”</indent> </poetry> 30 <poetry>Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; <indent>but a woman who fears the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> is to be praised.</indent> </poetry> 31 <poetry>Honor her for all that her hands have done, <indent>and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.</indent></poetry>

Proverbs 31:1

The sayings<cr>1</cr> of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.<pb/><poetry>

Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! <indent>Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:2

Do not spend your strength<ft>1</ft> on women, <indent>your vigor on those who ruin kings.<cr>1</cr> </indent><pb/><poetry>

Proverbs 31:3

It is not for kings, Lemuel— <indent>it is not for kings to drink wine,<cr>1</cr> </indent> <indent>not for rulers to crave beer,</indent>

Proverbs 31:4

lest they drink<cr>1</cr> and forget what has been decreed,<cr>2</cr> <indent>and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.</indent>

Proverbs 31:5

Let beer be for those who are perishing, <indent>wine<cr>1</cr> for those who are in anguish!</indent>

Proverbs 31:6

Let them drink<cr>1</cr> and forget their poverty <indent>and remember their misery no more.</indent><pb/><poetry>

Proverbs 31:7

Speak<cr>1</cr> up for those who cannot speak for themselves, <indent>for the rights of all who are destitute.</indent>

Proverbs 31:8

Speak up and judge fairly; <indent>defend the rights of the poor and needy.<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:9

Proverbs 31:10

<ft>1</ft>A wife of noble character<cr>1</cr> who can find?<cr>2</cr> <indent>She is worth far more than rubies.</indent>

Her husband<cr>1</cr> has full confidence in her <indent>and lacks nothing of value.<cr>2</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:11

She brings him good, not harm, <indent>all the days of her life.</indent>

Proverbs 31:12

She selects wool and flax <indent>and works with eager hands.<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:13

She is like the merchant ships, <indent>bringing her food from afar.</indent>

Proverbs 31:14

She gets up while it is still night; <indent>she provides food for her family</indent> <indent>and portions for her female servants.</indent>

Proverbs 31:15

She considers a field and buys it; <indent>out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.</indent>

Proverbs 31:16

She sets about her work vigorously; <indent>her arms are strong for her tasks.</indent>

Proverbs 31:17

She sees that her trading is profitable, <indent>and her lamp does not go out at night.</indent>

Proverbs 31:18

In her hand she holds the distaff <indent>and grasps the spindle with her fingers.</indent>

Proverbs 31:19

She opens her arms to the poor <indent>and extends her hands to the needy.<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:20

When it snows, she has no fear for her household; <indent>for all of them are clothed in scarlet.</indent>

Proverbs 31:21

She makes coverings for her bed; <indent>she is clothed in fine linen and purple.</indent>

Proverbs 31:22

Her husband is respected at the city gate, <indent>where he takes his seat among the elders<cr>1</cr> of the land.</indent>

Proverbs 31:23

She makes linen garments and sells them, <indent>and supplies the merchants with sashes.</indent>

Proverbs 31:24

She is clothed with strength and dignity; <indent>she can laugh at the days to come.</indent>

Proverbs 31:25

She speaks with wisdom, <indent>and faithful instruction is on her tongue.<cr>1</cr> </indent>

Proverbs 31:26

She watches over the affairs of her household <indent>and does not eat the bread of idleness.</indent>

Proverbs 31:27

Her children arise and call her blessed; <indent>her husband also, and he praises her:</indent>

Proverbs 31:28

“Many women do noble things, <indent>but you surpass them all.”</indent>

Proverbs 31:29

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; <indent>but a woman who fears the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap> is to be praised.</indent>

Proverbs 31:30

Honor her for all that her hands have done, <indent>and let her works bring her praise<cr>1</cr> at the city gate.</indent>

Proverbs 31:31

 1 The sayings   of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.  2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!    3 Do not spend your strength  on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.    4 It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine,   not for rulers to crave beer,  5 lest they drink   and forget what has been decreed,   and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.  6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine   for those who are in anguish!  7 Let them drink   and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.  8 Speak   up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.   10  A wife of noble character   who can find?   She is worth far more than rubies.  11 Her husband   has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.    12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.  13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.    14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.  15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.  16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.  17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.  18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.  19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.  20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.    21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.  22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.  23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders   of the land.  24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.  25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.    27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”  30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise   at the city gate.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

Proverbs 31 - NIV

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