CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Proverbs 31 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/proverbs/31.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/proverbs/31-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ESV</a> > Proverbs 31</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../proverbs/30.htm" title="Proverbs 30">◄</a> Proverbs 31 <a href="../ecclesiastes/1.htm" title="Ecclesiastes 1">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/proverbs/31.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">The Words of King Lemuel</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:</p> <span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">What are you doing, my son?<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew What, my son?">a</a></sup></span> What are you doing, son of my womb?</span><br /><span class="indent">What are you doing, son of my vows?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Do not give your strength to women,</span><br /><span class="indent">your ways to those who destroy kings.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">It is not for kings, O Lemuel,</span><br /><span class="indent">it is not for kings to drink wine,</span><br /><span class="indent">or for rulers to take strong drink,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">lest they drink and forget what has been decreed</span><br /><span class="indent">and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,</span><br /><span class="indent">and wine to those in bitter distress;<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew those bitter in soul">b</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">let them drink and forget their poverty</span><br /><span class="indent">and remember their misery no more.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Open your mouth for the mute,</span><br /><span class="indent">for the rights of all who are destitute.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew are sons of passing away">c</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Open your mouth, judge righteously,</span><br /><span class="indent">defend the rights of the poor and needy.</span></p> <p class="heading">The Woman Who Fears the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span></p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span><span class="ln-group"><span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet">d</a></sup></span> An excellent wife who can find?</span><br /><span class="indent">She is far more precious than jewels.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The heart of her husband trusts in her,</span><br /><span class="indent">and he will have no lack of gain.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She does him good, and not harm,</span><br /><span class="indent">all the days of her life.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She seeks wool and flax,</span><br /><span class="indent">and works with willing hands.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She is like the ships of the merchant;</span><br /><span class="indent">she brings her food from afar.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She rises while it is yet night</span><br /><span class="indent">and provides food for her household</span><br /><span class="indent">and portions for her maidens.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She considers a field and buys it;</span><br /><span class="indent">with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She dresses herself<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew She girds her loins">e</a></sup></span> with strength</span><br /><span class="indent">and makes her arms strong.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.</span><br /><span class="indent">Her lamp does not go out at night.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She puts her hands to the distaff,</span><br /><span class="indent">and her hands hold the spindle.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She opens her hand to the poor</span><br /><span class="indent">and reaches out her hands to the needy.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She is not afraid of snow for her household,</span><br /><span class="indent">for all her household are clothed in scarlet.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or in double thickness">f</a></sup></span></span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She makes bed coverings for herself;</span><br /><span class="indent">her clothing is fine linen and purple.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Her husband is known in the gates</span><br /><span class="indent">when he sits among the elders of the land.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She makes linen garments and sells them;</span><br /><span class="indent">she delivers sashes to the merchant.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Strength and dignity are her clothing,</span><br /><span class="indent">and she laughs at the time to come.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She opens her mouth with wisdom,</span><br /><span class="indent">and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">She looks well to the ways of her household</span><br /><span class="indent">and does not eat the bread of idleness.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Her children rise up and call her blessed;</span><br /><span class="indent">her husband also, and he praises her:</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">“Many women have done excellently,</span><br /><span class="indent">but you surpass them all.”</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,</span><br /><span class="indent">but a woman who fears the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> is to be praised.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/proverbs/31-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">Give her of the fruit of her hands,</span><br /><span class="indent">and let her works praise her in the gates.</span></p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">2</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">What</span>, my son?</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">6</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">those</span> bitter in soul</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">8</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">are</span> sons of passing away</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">10</span> Verses 10 - 31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet<br /><span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">17</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">She</span> girds her loins</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">21</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">in</span> double thickness</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../proverbs/30.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Proverbs 30"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Proverbs 30" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../ecclesiastes/1.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ecclesiastes 1"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ecclesiastes 1" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/proverbs/31-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>