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18 Let your fountain be blessed
    and enjoy the wife of your youth.

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18 May your fountain be blessed,
    and rejoice in the wife[a] of your youth.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:18 Or “woman”

18 May your fountain(A) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(B)

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A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband,
    but a wife[a] who puts him to shame is like bone cancer.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. but she
  2. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. decay

A woman of strength[a] is the crown of her master,[b]
    but like rot in his bones is she who brings shame.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Or “honor”
  2. Proverbs 12:4 Or “lord, owner”

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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22 Whoever finds a wife finds what is good,
    and receives favor from the Lord.

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22 He who finds a wife[a] finds good,
    and he will obtain favor from Yahweh.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:22 Or “woman”

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

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13 A father’s ruin is a foolish son,
    and a wife’s quarreling is like[a] dripping water that never stops.
14 A house and self-sufficiency are a father’s inheritance,
    but from the Lord comes an insightful wife.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 The Heb. lacks like

13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father,
    and the quarreling of a woman[a] is a continuous dripping.
14 A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
    but from Yahweh comes a woman[b] who is prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 Or “wife”
  2. Proverbs 19:14 Or “wife”

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

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

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The Honorable Woman

10 Who can find a capable wife?
    Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her;
    as a result, he lacks nothing of value.
12 She will bring good to him—never evil—
    every day of her life.
13 She seeks out wool and flax,
    working with eager hands.
14 She is like a seagoing ship
    that brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night,
    preparing meals for her family
        and providing for her women servants.
16 She evaluates a field and purchases it;
    from the proceeds she plants a vineyard.
17 She clothes herself with fortitude,
    and fortifies her arms with strength.
18 She is confident that her profits are sufficient.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She works with her own hands on her clothes[a]
    her hands work the sewing spindle.
20 She reaches out to the poor,
    opening her hands to those in need.
21 She is unafraid of winter’s effect on[b] her household,
    because all of them are warmly clothed.[c]
22 She creates her own bedding,
    using fine linen and violet cloth.
23 Her husband is well known;[d]
    he sits among the leaders of the land.
24 She designs and sells linen garments,
    supplying accessories[e] to clothiers.
25 Strength and dignity are her garments;
    she smiles about the future.
26 She speaks wisely,
    teaching with gracious love.
27 She looks discretely to the affairs of her household,
    and she is never lazy.[f]
28 Her children stand up and encourage her,
    as does her husband, who praises her:
29 “Many women have done wonderful things,” he says,[g]
    “but you surpass all of them!”

30 Charm is deceitful and beauty fades;
    but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Reward her for her work—
    let her actions result in public praise.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:19 Lit. staff
  2. Proverbs 31:21 Lit. of the snow for
  3. Proverbs 31:21 Lit. are clothed in red
  4. Proverbs 31:23 Lit. is known in the gates
  5. Proverbs 31:24 Or belts
  6. Proverbs 31:27 Lit. she does not eat the food of laziness
  7. Proverbs 31:29 The Heb. lacks he says
  8. Proverbs 31:31 Lit. in praise in the gates

An Excellent Woman[a]

10 A woman[b] of excellence,[c] who will find?
    For her worth is far more than precious jewels.
11 The heart of her husband[d] trusts in her,
    and gain he will not lack.
12 She does him good, but not harm
    all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
    and she works with the diligence of her hands.[e]
14 She is like the ships of a merchant;
    from far off she brings her food;[f]
15 And she arises while it is still night,
    and gives food to her household,
    and tasks to her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it,
    from the fruit of her hand[g] she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her waist in strength,
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good;
    her lamp does not go out in the night.
19 Her hands she puts onto the distaff,[h]
    and her palms hold a spindle.
20 Her palm she opens to the poor,
    and her hand she reaches out to the needy.
21 She does not fear for her house when it snows,
    for her entire household[i] is clothed in crimson.
22 She makes for herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband[j] is known at the gates,
    in his seat among the elders of the land.
24 Linen garments she makes and sells,
    and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the future.[k]
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.
27 She looks after the ways of her household,
    and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
28 Her children rise and consider her happy,
    her husband[l] also, and he praises her;
29 “Many daughters have done excellence,[m]
    but you surpass[n] all of them.”
30 Charm[o] is deceit and beauty[p] is vain;[q]
    but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hand,
    and may they praise her works in the city gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Prov 31:10–31 is an acrostic poem
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Or “wife”
  3. Proverbs 31:10 Or “strength,” or “valor,” or “ability,” or “efficiency”
  4. Proverbs 31:11 Or “lord”
  5. Proverbs 31:13 Literally “her palms”
  6. Proverbs 31:14 Or “bread”
  7. Proverbs 31:16 Literally “her palm”
  8. Proverbs 31:19 A stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound in preparation for spinning
  9. Proverbs 31:21 Literally “all her house, household”
  10. Proverbs 31:23 Or “lord”
  11. Proverbs 31:25 Literally “to the day/time coming after”
  12. Proverbs 31:28 Or “lord”
  13. Proverbs 31:29 Or “strength,” or “valor,” or “ability,” or “efficiency”
  14. Proverbs 31:29 Literally “you ascend over”
  15. Proverbs 31:30 Hebrew “The charm”
  16. Proverbs 31:30 Hebrew “the beauty”
  17. Proverbs 31:30 Or “vapor,” or “emptiness,” or “breath”

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.