The Sayings for King Lemuel 1 ULT The words of Lemuel the king, a burden that his mother had instructed him: BSB BSB: These are the words of King Lemuel—the burden that his mother taught him:
2 ULT What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? BSB BSB: What shall I say, O my son? What, O son of my womb? What, O son of my vows?
3 ULT Do not give to women your strength or your ways to cause kings to be wiped out. BSB BSB: Do not spend your strength on women or your vigor on those who ruin kings.
4 ULT { It is} not for kings, Lemuel,{ it is} not for kings to drink wine or for dignitaries or intoxicating 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 ULT Lest he drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the legal claim of all the sons of the afflicted one. BSB BSB: lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.
6 ULT Give intoxicating drink to the perishing one and wine to those bitter of soul. BSB BSB: Give strong drink to one who is perishing, and wine to the bitter in soul.
7 ULT He will drink and forget his poverty, and his trouble he will not remember again. BSB BSB: Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 ULT Open your mouth for a mute one, for the legal claim of all the sons of the one passing away. BSB BSB: Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed.
9 ULT Open your mouth, judge{ with} righteousness, and plead the legal case of the afflicted one and poor one. BSB BSB: Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtues of a Noble Woman 10 ULT A woman of worth, who can find? And her value{ is} far more than coral pearls. BSB BSB: A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
11 ULT The heart of her husband trusts in her, and spoil he will not lack. BSB BSB: The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.
12 ULT She does to him good 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 ULT She searches{ for} wool and linens and works with the delight of her palms. BSB BSB: She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 ULT She is like the ships of a merchant; she brings her bread from far away. BSB BSB: She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 ULT And she rises while still night and gives food to her house and a portion to her young women. BSB BSB: She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants.
16 ULT She considers a field and gets it; from the fruit of her palms she plants a vineyard. BSB BSB: She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 ULT She girds her loins with strength, and she strengthens her arms. BSB BSB: She girds herself with strength and shows that her arms are strong.
18 ULT She perceives that her profit{ is} good; her lamp does not go out in the night. BSB BSB: She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
19 ULT She stretches out her hands at the distaff, and her palms grasp the spindle. BSB BSB: She stretches out her hands to the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 ULT She spreads out her palm to the afflicted one, and she stretches out her hands to the poor one. BSB BSB: She opens her arms to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 ULT She does not fear for her house because of snow, for all her house is clothed{ with} crimson. BSB BSB: When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for they are all clothed in scarlet.
22 ULT She makes for herself coverings, fine linen and purple for her clothing. BSB BSB: She makes coverings for her bed; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 ULT Her husband is known at the gates, when he sits with the elders of the land. BSB BSB: Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land.
24 ULT She makes a linen garment and sells, and a belt she gives to the Canaanite. BSB BSB: She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
25 ULT Strength and splendor{ are} her clothing, and she laughs at a future day. BSB BSB: Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the days to come.
26 ULT Her mouth opens with wisdom, and the law of covenant faithfulness{ is} on her tongue. BSB BSB: She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 ULT She scans the goings on of her house, and the bread of laziness she does not eat. BSB BSB: She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 ULT Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her. BSB BSB: Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
29 ULT “Many daughters have acted{ with} worth, but you yourself have ascended over all of them.” BSB BSB: “Many daughters have done noble things, but you surpass them all!”
30 ULT The charm{ is} falsehood and the beauty{ is} vapor; a woman fearful of Yahweh, she herself will be praised. BSB BSB: Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 ULT Give to her from the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her at the gates. 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.