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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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Two Kinds of Wisdom

13 Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.(A) 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be arrogant and lie about the truth. 15 This is not wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.(B) 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.(C) 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.(D) 18 And the fruit of righteousness[a] is sown in peace by those who make peace.(E)

Friendship with the World

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it, so you commit murder. And you covet[b] something and cannot obtain it, so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.(F)

Footnotes

  1. 3.18 Or justice
  2. 4.2 Or you murder and you covet