The Sayings for King Lemuel 1 UDB These are sayings of King Lemuel—an oracle his mother taught him. BSB BSB: These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 UDB She says: You are my son; I carried you in my womb; you are the son for whom I made promises to Yahweh. BSB BSB: What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 UDB Do not give your strength to women, and do not tell what your plans are to the women who destroy kings. BSB BSB: Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 UDB Lemuel, kings should be careful about drinking wine; and a king should never ask, "Where is the strong drink?" BSB BSB: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,
5 UDB They could drink but then they might forget that they made a decree of the king, and tear down the rights of those who have been taken advantage of. BSB BSB: lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 UDB Give strong drink to those who are dying and to those who are grieving their loss. BSB BSB: Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 UDB One who drinks will forget he is poor and he will not remember his trouble. BSB BSB: Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 UDB Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves; speak for those who are approaching death. BSB BSB: Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 UDB Speak out and render judgment according to what is right, and plead for justice to come in the cases of the poor and the needy. BSB BSB: Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtues of a Noble Woman 10 UDB Who can find a wife who is good at many things? Her value is much more than the jewels she could wear. BSB BSB: A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 UDB Her husband completely trusts her, and because of her, he will never be poor. BSB BSB: The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 UDB She does good things for him and not evil all the days of her life. BSB BSB: She brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.
13 UDB She finds wool and flax in the market, and she enjoys spinning it to make yarn and fabric. BSB BSB: She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 UDB She is like the merchant ships because she brings her food to her home from far away. BSB BSB: She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 UDB She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family, and she gives each servant girl her duties for the day. BSB BSB: She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 UDB She goes out and considers what field she will buy, and she buys it. With the money she has made in other ventures, she plants a vineyard. BSB BSB: She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 UDB She prepares herself with her strength, and her arms are strong, able to do hard work. BSB BSB: She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 UDB She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. She keeps a lamp burning all night long. BSB BSB: She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 UDB She holds the spindle, and then she spins the thread that she will use. BSB BSB: She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 UDB She gives an outstretched hand to help the poor. BSB BSB: She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 UDB She is not worried about the snow, for everyone in her house has the best winter coats. BSB BSB: When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 UDB She makes covers for the beds. She wears fine purple linen clothes—the color of royalty. BSB BSB: She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 UDB Her husband is well known at the city gates, and there at the gates he sits with the other leaders of the town. BSB BSB: Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 UDB She makes linen garments and she sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners. BSB BSB: She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 UDB She is strong in her character and respected, and she laughs at what will happen in the future. BSB BSB: Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 UDB When she speaks, she says what is wise, and she lives by the law of kindness. BSB BSB: She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 UDB She watches over everything that is done in her household, and nothing in her actions would be anything like laziness. BSB BSB: She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 UDB Her children speak highly of her; her husband also praises her. BSB BSB: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 UDB He says to her, "There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!" BSB BSB: “Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 UDB Elegance can deceive you and make you think more highly of a person than you should, and beauty has no lasting value. But a woman who honors Yahweh will be praised for the person she is. BSB BSB: Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 UDB Give her what she has earned, and her works will praise her among the leaders of the town. BSB BSB: Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her at the gates.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.