(A)An[a] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is (B)like rottenness in his bones.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. A wife of valor

30 A sound heart is life to the body,
But (A)envy is (B)rottenness to the bones.

Read full chapter

For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since (A)he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

Read full chapter

The Virtuous Wife

10 (A)Who[a] can find a [b]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (B)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (C)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [c]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (D)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (E)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
  3. Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands

15 A (A)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [a]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides

19 Better to dwell [a]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert

Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (A)a contentious woman.

Read full chapter

13 (A)A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
(B)And the contentions of a wife are a continual [a]dripping.

14 (C)Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But (D)a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 Irritation

The Ways of Life and Death

14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.

Read full chapter

11 Nevertheless, (A)neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.

Read full chapter

16 When I heard, (A)my body trembled;
My lips quivered at the voice;
Rottenness entered my bones;
And I trembled in myself,
That I might rest in the day of trouble.
When he comes up to the people,
He will invade them with his troops.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends