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1. My words have been spoken by God—the oracular answer of a king, whom his mother instructed.
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1. The words H1697 of king H4428 Lemuel H3927 , the prophecy H4853 that H834 his mother H517 taught H3256 him.
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2. What wilt thou keep, my son, what? the words of God. My firstborn son, I speak to thee: what? The usual punctuation has been altered son of my womb? what? son of my vows?
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2. What H4100 , my son H1248 ? and what H4100 , the son H1248 of my womb H990 ? and what H4100 , the son H1248 of my vows H5088 ?
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3. Give not thy wealth to women, nor thy mind and living to remorse. Do all things with counsel: drink wine with counsel.
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3. Give H5414 not H408 thy strength H2428 unto women H802 , nor thy ways H1870 to that which destroyeth H4229 kings H4428 .
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4. Princes are prone to anger: let them then not drink wine:
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4. It is not H408 for kings H4428 , O Lemuel H3927 , it is not H408 for kings H4428 to drink H8354 wine H3196 ; nor H176 for princes H7336 strong drink H7941 :
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5. lest they drink, and forget wisdom, and be not able to judge the poor rightly.
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5. Lest H6435 they drink H8354 , and forget H7911 the law H2710 , and pervert H8138 the judgment H1779 of any H3605 of the afflicted H1121 H6040 .
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6. Give strong drink to those that are in sorrow, and the wine to drink to those in pain:
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6. Give H5414 strong drink H7941 unto him that is ready to perish H6 , and wine H3196 unto those that be of heavy H4751 hearts H5315 .
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7. that they may forget their poverty, and may not remember their troubles any more.
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7. Let him drink H8354 , and forget H7911 his poverty H7389 , and remember H2142 his misery H5999 no H3808 more H5750 .
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8. Open thy mouth with the word of God, and judge all fairly.
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8. Open H6605 thy mouth H6310 for the dumb H483 in H413 the cause H1779 of all H3605 such as are appointed H1121 to destruction H2475 .
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9. Open thy mouth and judge justly, and plead the cause of the poor and weak.
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9. Open H6605 thy mouth H6310 , judge H8199 righteously H6664 , and plead the cause H1777 of the poor H6041 and needy H34 .
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10. Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.
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10. Who H4310 can find H4672 a virtuous H2428 woman H802 ? for her price H4377 is far H7350 above rubies H4480 H6443 .
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11. The heart of her husband trusts in her: such a one shall stand in no need of fine spoils.
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11. The heart H3820 of her husband H1167 doth safely trust H982 in her , so that he shall have no H3808 need H2637 of spoil H7998 .
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12. For she employs all her living for her husband’s good.
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12. She will do H1580 him good H2896 and not H3808 evil H7451 all H3605 the days H3117 of her life H2416 .
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13. Gathering wool and flax, she makes it serviceable with her hands.
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13. She seeketh H1875 wool H6785 , and flax H6593 , and worketh H6213 willingly H2656 with her hands H3709 .
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14. She is like a ship trading from a distance: so she procures her livelihood.
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14. She is H1961 like the merchants H5503 ' ships H591 ; she bringeth H935 her food H3899 from afar H4480 H4801 .
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15. And she rises by night, and gives food to her household, and appointed tasks to her maidens.
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15. She riseth H6965 also while it is yet H5750 night H3915 , and giveth H5414 meat H2964 to her household H1004 , and a portion H2706 to her maidens H5291 .
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16. She views a farm, and buys it: and with the fruit of her hands she plants and a possession.
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16. She considereth H2161 a field H7704 , and buyeth H3947 it : with the fruit H4480 H6529 of her hands H3709 she planteth H5193 a vineyard H3754 .
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17. She strongly girds her loins, and strengthens her arms for work.
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17. She girdeth H2296 her loins H4975 with strength H5797 , and strengtheneth H553 her arms H2220 .
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18. And she finds by experience that working is good; and her candle goes not out all night.
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18. She perceiveth H2938 that H3588 her merchandise H5504 is good H2896 : her candle H5216 goeth not out H3808 H3518 by night H3915 .
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19. She reaches forth her arms to needful works, and applies her hands to the spindle.
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19. She layeth H7971 her hands H3027 to the spindle H3601 , and her hands H3709 hold H8551 the distaff H6418 .
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20. And she opens her hands to the needy, and reaches out fruit to the poor.
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20. She stretcheth out H6566 her hand H3709 to the poor H6041 ; yea , she reacheth forth H7971 her hands H3027 to the needy H34 .
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21. Her husband is not anxious about those at home when he tarries anywhere abroad: for all Gr. those with her her household are clothed.
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21. She is not H3808 afraid H3372 of the snow H4480 H7950 for her household H1004 : for H3588 all H3605 her household H1004 are clothed H3847 with scarlet H8144 .
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22. She makes for her husband Comp. Heb. and A. V. clothes of double texture, and garments for herself of fine linen and scarlet.
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22. She maketh H6213 herself coverings of tapestry H4765 ; her clothing H3830 is silk H8336 and purple H713 .
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23. And her husband becomes a distinguished person in the gates, when he sits in council with the old inhabitants of the land.
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23. Her husband H1167 is known H3045 in the gates H8179 , when he sitteth H3427 among H5973 the elders H2205 of the land H776 .
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24. She makes fine linens, and sells girdles to the Chananites: she opens her mouth heedfully and with propriety, and controls her tongue.
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24. She maketh H6213 fine linen H5466 , and selleth H4376 it ; and delivereth H5414 girdles H2289 unto the merchant H3669 .
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25. She puts on strength and honour; and rejoices in the last days.
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25. Strength H5797 and honor H1926 are her clothing H3830 ; and she shall rejoice H7832 in time H3117 to come H314 .
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26. But she opens her mouth wisely, and according to law.
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26. She openeth H6605 her mouth H6310 with wisdom H2451 ; and in H5921 her tongue H3956 is the law H8451 of kindness H2617 .
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27. The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.
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27. She looketh well H6822 to the ways H1979 of her household H1004 , and eateth H398 not H3808 the bread H3899 of idleness H6104 .
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28. And her kindness to them sets up her children for them, and they grow rich, and her husband praises her.
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28. Her children H1121 arise up H6965 , and call her blessed H833 ; her husband H1167 also , and he praiseth H1984 her.
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29. Many daughters have obtained wealth, many have wrought valiantly; but thou hast exceeded, thou hast surpassed all.
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29. Many H7227 daughters H1323 have done H6213 virtuously H2428 , but thou H859 excellest H5927 H5921 them all H3605 .
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30. Charms are false, and woman’s beauty is vain: for it is a wise woman that is blessed, and let her praise the fear the Lord.
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30. Favor H2580 is deceitful H8267 , and beauty H3308 is vain H1892 : but a woman H802 that feareth H3373 the LORD H3068 , she H1931 shall be praised H1984 .
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31. Give her of the fruit of her lips; and let her husband be praised in the gates.
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31. Give H5414 her of the fruit H4480 H6529 of her hands H3027 ; and let her own works H4639 praise H1984 her in the gates H8179 .
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