22 He who finds a wife finds what is good(A)
    and receives favor from the Lord.(B)

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14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,(A)
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(B)

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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.

A wife of noble character(A) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(B)

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Enjoy life with your wife,(A) whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot(B) in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

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But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.

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18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”(A)

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15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(A) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(B)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(C)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view(D) of the Lord,
    and he examines(E) all your paths.(F)
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;(G)
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.(H)
23 For lack of discipline they will die,(I)
    led astray by their own great folly.(J)

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12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram[a];(A)
    Israel served to get a wife,
    and to pay for her he tended sheep.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 12:12 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia

35 For those who find me(A) find life(B)
    and receive favor from the Lord.(C)

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Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.(A)

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20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(A) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(B)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(C)

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67 Isaac brought her into the tent(A) of his mother Sarah,(B) and he married Rebekah.(C) So she became his wife, and he loved her;(D) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.(E)

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28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(A)

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