New International Version NIV
Lexham English Bible LEB
1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
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The words of Lemuel, [the] king--an oracle that his mother taught him:
2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
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What, my son? And what, my son in my womb? And what, son of my vows?
3 Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings.
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Do not give your strength to the women, and your ways to destroy kings.
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel— it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer,
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[It is] not for the kings, O Lemuel; drinking wine [is] not for the kings, nor [is] strong drink for rulers.
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
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Or else he will drink and forget what has been decreed, and he will pervert the rights of all the {afflicted}.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish!
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Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those {in bitter distress}.
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
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He will drink and forget his poverty, and his misery he will not remember [any] more.
8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
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Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the {needy}.
9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
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Open your mouth, judge righteousness, and defend [the] poor and needy.
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
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A woman of excellence, who will find? For her worth [is] far more than precious jewels.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
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The heart of her husband trusts in her, and gain he will not lack.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
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She does him good, but not harm all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
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She seeks wool and flax, and she works with the diligence of {her hands}.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
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She is like the ships of a merchant; from far off she brings her food;
15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.
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And she arises while [it is] still night, and gives food to her household, and tasks to her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
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She considers a field and buys it, from the fruit of {her hand} she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
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She girds her waist in strength, and makes her arms strong.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
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She perceives that her merchandise [is] good; her lamp does not go out in the night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
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Her hands she puts onto the distaff, and her palms hold a spindle.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
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Her palm she opens to the poor, and her hand she reaches [out] to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
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She does not fear for her house [when] it snows, for {her entire household} is clothed [in] crimson.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
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She makes for herself coverings; her clothing [is] fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
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Her husband is known at the gates, in his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
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Linen garments she makes and sells, and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
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Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs {at the future}.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
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She opens her mouth with wisdom, and instruction of kindness [is] upon her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
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She looks after the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
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Her children rise and consider her happy, her husband [also], and he praises her;
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
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"Many daughters have done excellence, but {you surpass} all of them."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
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Charm [is] deceit and beauty [is] vain; [but] a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
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Give to her from the fruit of her hand, and may they praise her works in the city gates.