1The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. 2What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows? 3Give not thy strength to women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. 4[It is] not for kings, O Lemuel, [it is] not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: 5Lest he drinke and forget the decree, and change the iudgement of all the children of affliction. 6Giue ye strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, and wine vnto them that haue griefe of heart. 7Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. 8Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. 9Open thy mouth: iudge righteously, and iudge the afflicted, and the poore. 10Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will doe him good, and not euill all the dayes of her life. 13She seeketh wooll and flaxe, and laboureth cheerefully with her handes. 14She is like the shippes of marchants: shee bringeth her foode from afarre. 15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loynes with strength, and strengtheneth her armes. 18She feeleth that her marchandise is good: her candle is not put out by night. 19She putteth her handes to the wherue, and her handes handle the spindle. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poore, and putteth foorth her hands to the needie. 21She feareth not the snowe for her familie: for all her familie is clothed with skarlet. 22She maketh her selfe carpets: fine linen and purple is her garment. 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24She maketh sheetes, and selleth them, and giueth girdels vnto the marchant. 25Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and on her tongue [is] the law of kindness. 27She ouerseeth the wayes of her housholde, and eateth not the bread of ydlenes. 28Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her. 29Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou surmountest them all. 30Fauour is deceitfull, and beautie is vanitie: but a woman that feareth the Lorde, she shall be praysed. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.