Add parallel Print Page Options

22 When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.
It shows that the Lord ·is pleased with [favors] him.

Read full chapter

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

Read full chapter

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a ·wise [insightful] wife is a gift from the Lord.

Read full chapter

14 House and wealth are an (A)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Read full chapter

18 ·Correct [Discipline] your children while there is still hope;
do not ·let them destroy themselves [or be intent to kill them].

Read full chapter

18 (A)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [a]his death.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die

The ·good [righteous] people who ·live honest lives [walk about in innocence]
will be a blessing to their children.

Read full chapter

A righteous person who (A)walks in his integrity—
(B)How blessed are his sons after him.

Read full chapter

Train children ·to live the right way [L in their/or his path; C referring either to children or to God],
and when they are old, they will not ·stray [depart] from it.

Read full chapter

(A)Train up a child [a]in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:6 Lit according to his way

15 ·Every child is full of foolishness [L Stupidity/Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child],
but ·punishment can get rid of it [L the rod of discipline drives it far from them].

Read full chapter

15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The (A)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

Read full chapter

13 Don’t ·fail to punish [L withhold instruction/discipline from] children.
    If you ·spank them [L strike them with a rod], they won’t die.
14 If you ·spank them [L strike them with a rod],
    you will save ·them from death [L their lives from Sheol/the grave].

Read full chapter

13 (A)Do not withhold discipline from a child;
Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall strike him with the rod
And (B)rescue his soul from Sheol.

Read full chapter

11 Be wise, my child, and make ·me [L my heart] happy.
Then I can respond to any insult.

Read full chapter

11 (A)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (B)reply to one who taunts me.

Read full chapter

Those who love wisdom make their ·parents [L father] happy,
but friends of prostitutes ·waste their money [destroy riches].

Read full chapter

A man who (A)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (B)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.

Read full chapter

15 Correction and ·punishment [L the rod] make children wise,
but those ·left alone [unsupervised] will disgrace their mother.

Read full chapter

15 The (A)rod and a rebuke give wisdom,
But a child [a]who gets his own way (B)brings shame to his mother.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:15 Lit left to himself

17 ·Correct [Instruct; Discipline] your children, and ·you will be proud [they will give you peace of mind];
they will give you ·satisfaction [delight].

Read full chapter

17 (A)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [a](B)delight your soul.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:17 Lit give delight to

The Good Wife

10 ·It is hard to [L Who can…?] find a ·good [noble; virtuous] wife [Ruth 3:11],
    because she is worth more than ·rubies [or pearls].
11 Her husband ·trusts her completely [entrusts his heart to her].
    With her, he ·has everything he needs [L lacks no plunder; C a military image].
12 She ·does [brings] him good and not ·harm [trouble; evil]
    ·for as long as she lives [L all the days of her life].
13 She ·looks for [goes out to find] wool and flax
    and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a ·trader’s [merchant] ship,
    bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still ·dark [night]
    and ·prepares food for [L gives prey to] her family
    and ·feeds [L a portion to] her servant girls.
16 She ·inspects [surveys] a field and ·buys it [takes it over].
    With ·money she earned [L the fruits of her hands], she plants a vineyard.
17 ·She does her work with energy [L Her loins are girded with strength],
    and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that ·what she makes is good [or her trading is successful].
    Her lamp ·burns late into the [L she does not extinguish at] night.
19 She ·makes thread with her hands [L sends her hands to the distaff]
    and ·weaves her own cloth [L her palms hold the spindle tightly].
20 She ·welcomes [L stretches her palm to] the poor
    and ·helps [L sends her hands to] the needy.
21 She ·does not worry about [is not afraid for] her family when it snows,
    because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothes are made of linen [C from Egypt] and ·other expensive material [L purple].
23 Her husband is known at the city ·meetings [L gates; C the place where city leaders meet],
    where he ·makes decisions as one of [L sits with] the ·leaders [L elders] of the land.
24 She makes ·linen clothes [garments] and sells them
    and ·provides [supplies] ·belts [sashes] to the merchants.
25 ·She is strong and is respected by the people [L Strength and dignity/honor are her clothing].
    She ·looks forward to the future with joy [L laughs at the future; C she is not anxious].
26 She ·speaks wise words [L opens her mouth with wisdom]
    and ·teaches others to be kind [L loving instruction is on her tongue].
27 She ·watches over her family [L is a lookout point for the doings of her household]
    and ·never wastes her time [L does not eat the bread/food of laziness].
28 Her children ·speak well of [L rise up and bless] her.
    Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “·There are many fine women [L Many daughters act nobly],
    but you ·are better than [surpass] all of them.”
30 Charm ·can fool you [is deceptive], and beauty ·can trick you [is meaningless; or fleeting],
    but a woman who ·respects [fears] the Lord [1:7] should be praised.
31 Give her the ·reward she has earned [L fruit of her hands];
    she should be praised in ·public [the gates; 31:23] for what she has done.

Read full chapter

Description of a Worthy Woman

10 An (A)excellent wife, who can find her?
For her worth is far (B)above 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 evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and linen,
And works with her [a]hands [b]in delight.
14 She is like (C)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 And she (D)rises while it is still night
And (E)gives food to her household,
And [c]portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [d]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (F)surrounds her waist with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the [e]distaff,
And her [f]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [g](G)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (H)clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes (I)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is (J)fine linen and (K)purple.
23 Her husband is known (L)in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (M)linen garments and sells them,
And [h]supplies belts to the [i]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (N)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [j]future.
26 She (O)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [k]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household,
And does not eat the (P)bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [l](Q)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [m]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
  2. Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
  3. Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
  4. Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
  5. Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
  6. Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
  7. Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
  8. Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
  9. Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
  10. Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
  11. Proverbs 31:26 Or law
  12. Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
  13. Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit