{Or, The words of Lemuel king of Massa, which &c. See chapter 30:1 margin.}The words of king Lemuel; the {Or, burden}oracle which his mother taught him.
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb?
And what, O son of my vows?
Give not thy strength unto women,
Nor thy ways to {Or, as otherwise read, them that destroy}that which destroyeth kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
Nor for princes {Another reading is, to desire strong drink.}to say, Where is strong drink?
Lest they drink, and forget {Hebrew: that which is decreed.}the law,
And pervert the justice due to {Hebrew: all the sons of the affliction.}any that is afflicted.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
And wine unto the bitter in soul:
Let him drink, and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
Open thy mouth for the dumb,
In the cause of all such as are {Or, ready to pass away Hebrew; the sons of passing away.}left desolate.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously,
And minister justice to the poor and needy.
A worthy woman who can find?
For her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband trusteth in her,
And he shall have no lack of {Hebrew: spoil.}gain.
She doeth him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeketh wool and flax,
And worketh {Or, at the business of}willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchant-ships;
She bringeth her bread from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night,
And giveth food to her household,
And their {Or, portion}task to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it;
With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength,
And maketh strong her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is profitable;
Her lamp goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the distaff,
And her {Hebrew: palms.}hands hold the spindle.
She stretcheth out her {Hebrew: palm.}hand to the poor;
Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household;
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She maketh for herself {Or, cushions}carpets of tapestry;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She maketh linen garments and selleth them,
And delivereth girdles unto the {Hebrew: Canaanites.}merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing;
And she laugheth at the time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
And the {Or, teaching}law of kindness is on her tongue.
She looketh well to the ways of her household,
And eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up, and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praiseth her, saying:
Many daughters have done worthily,
But thou excellest them all.
Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands;
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Querverweise zu Sprüche 31,31 Spr 31,31
She considereth a field, and buyeth it;With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
For ye have the poor always with you, and whensoever ye will ye can do them good: but me ye have not always.
She hath done what she could; she hath anointed my body beforehand for the burying.
And verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the {See marginal note on chapter 1:1.}gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;And he that is wise winneth souls.
And Peter arose and went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.
For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands:Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a {Or, deaconess}servant of the church that is at Cenchreae:
that ye receive her in the Lord, worthily of the saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need of you: for she herself also hath been a helper of many, and of mine own self.
Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus,
who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles:
By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you.
Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
In like manner also {Greek: the works that are good are evident.}there are good works that are evident; and such as are otherwise cannot be hid.
But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life.
for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister.
Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die {Or, in the Lord. From henceforth, yea, saith the Spirit}in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.