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22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman without good sense.

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22 A ring of gold in the snout of a pig
    is a woman who is beautiful but without discretion.

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A good wife is the crown of her husband,
    but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.(A)

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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”

14 The wise woman[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.1 Heb Wisdom of women

14 The wisest of women[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her hands.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Literally “wise ones of women”

22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing
    and obtains favor from the Lord.(A)

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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”

13 A stupid child is ruin to a father,
    and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.(A)
14 House and wealth are inherited from parents,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.(B)

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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”

It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
    than in a house shared with a contentious wife.(A)

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Better to dwell on the corner of a roof
    than to share a house with a woman[a] of contention.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:9 Or “wife”

19 It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a contentious and fretful wife.

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19 Better to live in a land of wilderness
    than with a wife of quarrels and provocation.

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15 A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a contentious wife are alike;(A)
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
    or to grasp oil in the right hand.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 27.16 Meaning of Heb uncertain

15 Dripping constantly on a day of heavy rain
    and a woman[a] of contention are alike.
16 In restraining her, he restrains wind,[b]
    and his right hand will grasp oil[c].

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:15 Or “wife”
  2. Proverbs 27:16 Or “breath, or “spirit”
  3. Proverbs 27:16 Or “fat”

Ode to a Woman of Strength

10 A woman of strength who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.(A)
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not harm
    all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax
    and works with willing hands.(B)
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night
    and provides food for her household
    and tasks for her female servants.(C)
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.(D)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
    for all her household are clothed in crimson.(E)
22 She makes herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the city gates,
    taking his seat among the elders of the land.(F)
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she supplies the merchant with sashes.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.(G)
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.(H)
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.(I)
28 Her children rise up and call her happy;
    her husband, too, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”(J)
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(K)
31 Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the city gates.

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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”