Proverbs 5:15-19
English Standard Version
15 Drink (A)water from your own cistern,
flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your (B)springs be scattered abroad,
streams of water (C)in the streets?
17 (D)Let them be for yourself alone,
and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (E)fountain be blessed,
and (F)rejoice in (G)the wife of your youth,
19 a lovely (H)deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts (I)fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated[a] always in her love.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:19 Hebrew be led astray; also verse 20
Proverbs 5:15-19
New American Standard Bible
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And [a]fresh water from your own well.
16 Should your (A)springs overflow into the street,
Streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (B)fountain be blessed,
And (C)rejoice in the (D)wife of your youth.
19 Like a loving (E)doe and a graceful mountain goat,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be [b]exhilarated always with her love.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:15 Lit flowing
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit intoxicated
Proverbs 11:16
English Standard Version
Proverbs 11:16
New American Standard Bible
16 A (A)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
Proverbs 11:22
English Standard Version
22 Like (A)a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
Proverbs 11:22
New American Standard Bible
22 As a (A)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Proverbs 12:4
English Standard Version
4 (A)An excellent wife is (B)the crown of her husband,
but she who (C)brings shame is like (D)rottenness in his bones.
Proverbs 12:4
New American Standard Bible
4 An [a](A)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (B)rottenness in his bones.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous
Proverbs 14:1
English Standard Version
Proverbs 14:1
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
14 The (A)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Proverbs 18:22
English Standard Version
Proverbs 18:22
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 21:9
English Standard Version
9 It is (A)better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
Proverbs 21:9
New American Standard Bible
9 It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
Proverbs 21:19
English Standard Version
19 It is (A)better to live in a desert land
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
Proverbs 21:19
New American Standard Bible
19 (A)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
Proverbs 25:24
English Standard Version
24 (A)It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
Proverbs 25:24
New American Standard Bible
24 It is (A)better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:24 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
Proverbs 27:15-16
English Standard Version
15 (A)A continual dripping on a rainy day
and a quarrelsome wife are alike;
16 to restrain her is to restrain the wind
or to grasp[a] oil in one's right hand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:16 Hebrew to meet with
Proverbs 27:15-16
New American Standard Bible
15 A (A)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would [a]restrain her [b]restrains the wind,
And [c]grasps oil with his right hand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters
Proverbs 30:18-19
English Standard Version
18 (A)Three things are (B)too wonderful for me;
(C)four I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a virgin.
Proverbs 30:18-19
New American Standard Bible
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of the (A)eagle in the sky,
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a [a]virgin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit young unmarried woman
Proverbs 31:10-31
English Standard Version
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
- Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
- Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness
Proverbs 31:10-31
New American Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
- Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
- Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
- Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
- Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
- Proverbs 31:26 Or law
- Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
- Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
