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1. These are the words of King Lemuel, the mes- sage his mother taught him:
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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. "My son, I gave birth to you. You are the son I prayed for.
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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. Don't waste your strength on women or your time on those who ruin kings.
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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. "Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel, and rulers should not desire beer.
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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. If they drink, they might forget the law and keep the needy from getting their rights.
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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 beer to people who are dying and wine to those who are sad.
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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. Let them drink and forget their need and remember their misery no 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. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
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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. Speak up and judge fairly, and defend the rights of the poor and needy."
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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. It is hard to find a good wife, because she is worth more than rubies.
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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. Her husband trusts her completely. With her, he has everything he needs.
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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. She does him good and not harm for as long as she lives.
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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. She looks for wool and flax and likes to work 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 trader's ship, bringing food from far away.
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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. She gets up while it is still dark and prepares food for her family and feeds her servant girls.
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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 inspects a field and buys it. With money she earned, she plants a vineyard.
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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 does her work with energy, and her arms are strong.
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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. She knows that what she makes is good. Her lamp burns late into the 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 makes thread with her hands and weaves her own cloth.
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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. She welcomes the poor and helps the needy.
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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. She does not worry about her family when it snows, because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
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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 coverings for herself; her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
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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. Her husband is known at the city meetings, where he makes decisions as one of the leaders 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 linen clothes and sells them and provides belts to the merchants.
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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 is strong and is respected by the people. She looks forward to the future with joy.
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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. She speaks wise words and teaches others to be kind.
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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. She watches over her family and never wastes her time.
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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. Her children speak well of her. Her husband also 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. saying, "There are many fine women, but you are better than all of them."
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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. Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you, but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
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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 the reward she has earned; she should be praised in public for what she has done.
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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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