Proverbs 31

1My words were spoken by God, The oracular response of a king, whom his mother instructed.

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2"What, my child, will you keep? What? The words of God." My firstborn son, I say to you, "What, the child of my womb? What, the child of my vows?"

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3Do not give your wealth to women, Nor your heart or life to remorse.

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4Do all things with counsel; Drink wine with counsel; Princes are prone to anger, but let them not drink wine,

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5Lest while they drink, they forget wisdom, And be unable to judge the weak uprightly.

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6Give strong drink to those in sorrow, And wine to drink for those in pain,

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7So they may forget their poverty And no longer remember their grief.

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8Open your mouth for the word of God, And judge all men fairly;

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9Open your mouth and judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and helpless.

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10Who will find a courageous wife? For such a one is more valuable than precious stones.

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11The heart of her husband trusts in her; She will not be at a loss for fine spoils, For she provides good things for her husband all her life.

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12She weaves wool and linen cloth And is productive with her hands.

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13She is like a ship trading afar off, So she procures her livelihood.

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14She also rises before dawn And gives food to her household, And appoints tasks for her maidservants.

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15Seeing a farm, she buys it, And from the fruits of her hands she plants her plot of land.

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16Strongly girding her loins, She strengthens her arms for work.

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17She experiences work as a good thing, And her lamp is not quenched all night.

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18She extends her arms to do profitable things, And she applies her hands to the spindle.

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19She opens her hands to the poor And reaches out with her fruit to the needy.

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20Her husband is not anxious about those at home When he spends a long time elsewhere, For all her household are clothed.

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21She makes a double upper garment for her husband And garments of fine linen and purple for herself.

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22Her husband is respected at the gates And when he sits in council with the elders who inhabit the land.

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23She makes and sells fine linens And girdles to the Canaanites.

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24She opens her mouth carefully and lawfully And controls her tongue.

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25She clothes herself with strength and dignity And rejoices in the last days.

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26She runs her household carefully, And she does not eat the bread of idleness.

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27She opens her mouth wisely and lawfully, And her charity raises her children, and they become rich, And her husband praises her,

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28"Many daughters acquire riches; many do mighty things, But you excel and surpass all."

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29Desires to please are deceitful, and the beauty of a wife is vain; For a wise wife is blessed, And let her in fear praise the Lord.

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30Give to her from the fruits of her hands, And let her husband praise her at the gates.

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