31 The words of King Lemʹu·el, the weighty message his mother gave to instruct him:+
2 What should I tell you, O my son,
What, O son of my womb,
And what, O son of my vows?+
3 Do not give your vigor to women,+
Nor follow ways that destroy kings.+
4 It is not for kings, O Lemʹu·el,
It is not for kings to drink wine
Nor for rulers to say, “Where is my drink?”+
5 So that they do not drink and forget what is decreed
And pervert the rights of the lowly ones.
6 Give alcohol to those who are perishing+
And wine to those in bitter distress.+
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty;
Let them remember their trouble no more.
8 Speak up in behalf of the speechless;
Defend the rights of all who are perishing.+
9 Speak up and judge righteously;
Defend the rights of the lowly and the poor.+
א [Aleph]
10 Who can find a capable wife?+
Her value is far more than that of corals.
ב [Beth]
11 Her husband trusts her from his heart,
And he lacks nothing of value.
ג [Gimel]
12 She rewards him with good, not bad,
All the days of her life.
ד [Daleth]
13 She obtains wool and linen;
She delights to work with her hands.+
ה [He]
14 She is like the ships of a merchant,+
Bringing her food in from afar.
ו [Waw]
15 She also rises while it is still night,
Providing food for her household
And portions for her female servants.+
ז [Zayin]
16 She sets her mind on a field and buys it;
She plants a vineyard from her own labors.
ח [Heth]
17 She prepares herself for hard work,+
And she strengthens her arms.
ט [Teth]
18 She sees that her trading is profitable;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
י [Yod]
19 Her hands seize the distaff,
And her hands take hold of the spindle.+
כ [Kaph]
20 She extends her palm to the lowly one,
And she opens her hands to the poor.+
ל [Lamed]
21 She does not worry about her household because of the snow,
For her whole household is clothed in warm garments.
מ [Mem]
22 She makes her own bed covers.
Her clothing is of linen and purple wool.
נ [Nun]
23 Her husband is well-known in the city gates,+
Where he sits among the elders of the land.
ס [Samekh]
24 She makes and sells linen garments
And supplies belts to the merchants.
ע [Ayin]
25 She is clothed with strength and splendor,
And she looks to the future with confidence.
פ [Pe]
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom;+
The law of kindness is on her tongue.
צ [Tsade]
27 She watches over the activity of her household,
And the bread of laziness she does not eat.+
ק [Qoph]
28 Her children rise up and declare her happy;
Her husband rises up and praises her.
ר [Resh]
29 There are many capable women,
But you—you surpass them all.
ש [Shin]
30 Charm may be false, and beauty may be fleeting,+
But the woman who fears Jehovah will be praised.+
ת [Taw]
31 Give her the reward for what she does,+
And let her works praise her in the city gates.+