14 The wise woman builds her house,(A)
    but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

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Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]A wife of noble character(A) who can find?(B)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(C) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.(D)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.(E)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.(F)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders(G) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(H)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise(I) at the city gate.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Saying 21

By wisdom a house is built,(A)
    and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures.(B)

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Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(A)

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19 Better to live in a desert
    than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(A)

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11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate(A) said, “We are witnesses.(B) May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah,(C) who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah(D) and be famous in Bethlehem.(E)

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13 Folly is an unruly woman;(A)
    she is simple and knows nothing.(B)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,(C)
15 calling out(D) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,

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13 A foolish child is a father’s ruin,(A)
    and a quarrelsome wife is like
    the constant dripping of a leaky roof.(B)

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31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married(A) Jezebel daughter(B) of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal(C) and worship him.

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Athaliah and Joash(A)

11 When Athaliah(B) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.

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24 “Dogs(A) will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds(B) will feed on those who die in the country.”

25 (There was never(C) anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.

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