A Mother’s Oracle
The words of King Lemuel, the oracle unto which his mother disciplined him:
2 What, O my son?
And what, O ason of my womb?
And what, O son of my bvows?
3 aDo not give your excellence to women,
Or your ways to that which bblots out kings.
4 It is not for akings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to bdrink wine,
Or for rulers to desire strong drink,
5 Lest he drink and forget what is decreed,
And apervert the justice of all the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink to him who is aperishing,
And wine to those bwhose soul is bitter.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty
And he will not remember his trouble any longer.
8 aOpen your mouth for the mute,
For the justice of all those passing away.
9 Open your mouth, ajudge righteously,
And render bjustice to the afflicted and needy.
A Woman Who Fears Yahweh
א Aleph
10 An aexcellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far babove pearls.
ב Beth
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
ג Gimel
12 She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil
All the days of her life.
ד Daleth
13 She searches for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
ה He
14 She is like amerchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
ו Vav
15 And she arises while it is still night,
And bgives food to her household
And a portion to her young women.
ז Zayin
16 She makes plans for a field and buys it;
From the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
ח Heth
17 She agirds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
ט Teth
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
י Yodh
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands hold fast the spindle.
כ Kaph
20 She aextends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
ל Lamedh
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are aclothed with scarlet.
מ Mem
22 She makes acoverings for herself;
Her clothing is bfine linen and cpurple.
נ Nun
23 Her husband is known ain the gates,
When he sits with the elders of the land.
ס Samekh
24 She makes alinen garments and sells them,
And gives belts to the tradesmen.
ע Ayin
25 Strength and amajesty are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
פ Pe
26 She aopens her mouth in wisdom,
And the instruction of lovingkindness is on her tongue.
צ Tsadhe
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the abread of idleness.
ק Qoph
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
As for her husband, he also praises her, saying:
ר Resh
29 “Many daughters have done excellently,
But you have gone above them all.”
שׁ Shin
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who afears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
ת Tav
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.