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

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

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14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,(A)
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

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

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18 Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t set your heart on being the cause of his death.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 19:18 Lit don’t lift up your soul to his death

18 (A)Discipline your son, for there is hope;
    do not set your heart on (B)putting him to death.

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A righteous person acts with integrity;(A)
his children who come after him will be happy.(B)

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The righteous who (A)walks in his integrity—
    (B)blessed are his children after him!

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Start a youth out on his way;(A)
even when he grows old he will not depart from it.

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(A)Train up a child in the way he should go;
    even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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15 Foolishness is bound to the heart of a youth;
a rod of discipline will separate it from him.(A)

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15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but (A)the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

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13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;
if you punish him with a rod, he will not die.(A)
14 Punish him with a rod,
and you will rescue his life from Sheol.(B)

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13 Do not withhold (A)discipline from a child;
    (B)if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you strike him with the rod,
    you will (C)save his soul from Sheol.

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11 Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,(A)
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.(B)

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11 (A)Be wise, (B)my son, and (C)make my heart glad,
    that I may (D)answer him who reproaches me.

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A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(A)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(B)

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He who (A)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
    but (B)a companion of prostitutes (C)squanders his wealth.

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15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom,(A)
but a youth left to himself[a]
is a disgrace to his mother.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 29:15 Lit youth sent away

15 (A)The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a child left to himself (B)brings shame to his mother.

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17 Discipline your child,(A) and it will bring you peace of mind
and give you delight.

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17 (A)Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
    he will give delight to your heart.

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In Praise of a Wife of Noble Character

10 Who can find a wife of noble character?[a](A)
She is far more precious than jewels.[b]
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.(B)
15 She rises while it is still night(C)
and provides food for her household
and portions[c] for her female servants.(D)
16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.[d](E)
17 She draws on her strength[e]
and reveals that her arms are strong.(F)
18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.(G)
19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.(H)
20 Her hands reach[f] out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.(I)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.[g]
22 She makes her own bed coverings;(J)
her clothing is fine linen(K) and purple.(L)
23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.(M)
24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts[h] to the merchants.
25 Strength(N) and honor are her clothing,(O)
and she can laugh at the time to come.(P)
26 Her mouth speaks wisdom,
and loving instruction[i] is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household(Q)
and is never idle.[j]
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[k] have done noble deeds,
but you surpass them all!” (R)
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,(S)
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor,[l]
and let her works praise her at the city gates.

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Footnotes

  1. 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a capable wife
  2. 31:10 Vv. 10–31 form an acrostic.
  3. 31:15 Or tasks
  4. 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
  5. 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
  6. 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
  7. 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
  8. 31:24 Or sashes
  9. 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
  10. 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
  11. 31:29 Lit daughters
  12. 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10 [a] (A)An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than (B)jewels.
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 (C)seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15 She (D)rises while it is yet night
    and (E)provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She (F)dresses herself[b] 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 (G)opens her hand to (H)the poor
    and reaches out her hands to (I)the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in (J)scarlet.[c]
22 She makes (K)bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is (L)fine linen and (M)purple.
23 Her husband is known in (N)the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (O)linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 (P)Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many (Q)women have done (R)excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 (S)Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
  2. Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
  3. Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness