Proverbs 5:15-19
Expanded Bible
15 ·Be faithful to your own wife [L Drink water from your own well; Song 4:10–15],
·just as you drink [L gushing] water from your own ·well [cistern].
16 Don’t ·pour your water in the streets [L let your fountains burst forth outside];
·don’t give your love to just any woman [L streams of water in the public squares].
17 These things are yours alone
and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.
18 ·Be happy with the wife you married when you were young [L Rejoice in the wife of your youth].
·She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water [L May your spring be blessed].
19 She is a lovely deer and a graceful doe.
Let her ·love [or breasts] always make you happy;
let her love always ·hold you captive [intoxicate/inebriate you; Song 4:10].
Proverbs 5:15-19
Amplified Bible
15
[a]Drink water from your own [b]cistern [of a pure marriage relationship]
And fresh running water from your own well.
16
Should your [c]springs (children) be dispersed,
As streams of water in the streets?
17
[Confine yourself to your own wife.] Let your children be yours alone,
And not the children of strangers with you.
18
Let your fountain (wife) be blessed [with the rewards of fidelity],
And rejoice in the wife of your youth.(A)
19
Let her be as a loving hind and graceful doe,
Let her breasts refresh and satisfy you at all times;
Always be [d]exhilarated and delight in her love.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:15 All of the Ten Commandments are reflected in the book of Proverbs; here it is the seventh, “You shall not commit adultery.”
- Proverbs 5:15 Vv 15-18 describe the purity of a man’s relationship in marriage. The cistern and well represent his wife.
- Proverbs 5:16 I.e. children of one’s promiscuity who are fatherless.
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit stagger (with passion).
Proverbs 11:16
Expanded Bible
16 A ·kind [gracious] woman gets ·respect [honor],
but ·cruel [violent] men get only wealth.
Proverbs 11:16
Amplified Bible
16
A gracious and good woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches [but not respect].
Proverbs 11:22
Expanded Bible
22 A beautiful woman without ·good sense [discretion]
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
Proverbs 11:22
Amplified Bible
22
As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a beautiful woman who is without discretion [her lack of character mocks her beauty].
Proverbs 12:4
Expanded Bible
4 A ·good [noble] wife is like a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful wife is like ·a disease [rot] in his bones.
Proverbs 12:4
Amplified Bible
4
A virtuous and excellent wife [worthy of honor] is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him [with her foolishness] is like rottenness in his bones.(A)
Proverbs 14:1
Expanded Bible
14 A wise woman ·strengthens her family [builds her house],
but a foolish woman ·destroys hers by what she does [tears hers down with her own hands].
Proverbs 14:1
Amplified Bible
Contrast the Upright and the Wicked
14 The wise woman builds her house [on a foundation of godly precepts, and her household thrives],
But the foolish one [who lacks spiritual insight] tears it down with her own hands [by ignoring godly principles].
Proverbs 18:22
Expanded Bible
22 When a man finds a wife, he finds something good.
It shows that the Lord ·is pleased with [favors] him.
Proverbs 18:22
Amplified Bible
22
He who finds a [[a]true and faithful] wife finds a good thing
And obtains favor and approval from the Lord.(A)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:22 In Jewish tradition it is said that in Israel, they used to ask a man who had married, “Matsa or motse?” “Matsa” is the Hebrew for “finds” here, where a good wife is in view, and “motse” is the word for “found” (NASB “discovered”) in Eccl 7:26.
Proverbs 21:9
Expanded Bible
9 It is better to live in a corner on the roof [C living space in biblical times]
than inside the house with a ·quarreling [contentious] wife.
Proverbs 21:9
Amplified Bible
9
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop [on the flat roof, exposed to the weather]
Than in a house shared with a quarrelsome (contentious) woman.
Proverbs 21:19
Expanded Bible
19 It is better to live ·alone in the desert [in a desolate land]
than with a ·quarreling [contentious] and ·complaining [angry] wife.
Proverbs 21:19
Amplified Bible
19
It is better to dwell in a desert land
Than with a contentious and troublesome woman.
Proverbs 25:24
Expanded Bible
24 It is better to live in a corner on the roof [21:9]
than inside the house with a ·quarreling [contentious] wife.
Proverbs 25:24
Amplified Bible
24
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop [on the flat roof, exposed to the weather]
Than in a house shared with a quarrelsome (contentious) woman.(A)
Proverbs 27:15-16
Expanded Bible
15 A ·quarreling [contentious] wife is as bothersome
as a continual dripping on a rainy day.
16 ·Stopping [Controlling; Restraining] her is like ·stopping [controlling; restraining] the wind
or trying to grab oil in your hand.
Proverbs 27:15-16
Amplified Bible
15
A constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious (quarrelsome) woman are alike;(A)
16
Whoever attempts to restrain her [criticism] might as well try to stop the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
Proverbs 30:18-19
Expanded Bible
18 “There are three things that are too ·hard [wonderful] for me,
really four I don’t understand:
19 the way an eagle flies in the sky,
the way a snake slides over a rock,
the way a ship sails on the sea,
and the way a man and a woman ·fall in [or make] love.
Proverbs 30:18-19
Amplified Bible
18
There are three things which are too astounding and unexpectedly wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19
The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a maid.
Proverbs 31:10-31
Expanded Bible
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.
Proverbs 31:10-31
Amplified Bible
Description of a Worthy Woman
10
[a]An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her?
Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.(A)
11
The heart of her husband trusts in her [with secure confidence],
And he will have no lack of gain.
12
She comforts, encourages, and does him only good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13
She looks for wool and flax
And works with willing hands in delight.
14
She is like the merchant ships [abounding with treasure];
She brings her [household’s] food from far away.
15
She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And assigns tasks to her maids.(B)
16
She considers a field before she buys or accepts it [expanding her business prudently];
With her profits she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
17
She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]
And makes her arms strong.
18
She sees that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out, but it burns continually through the night [she is prepared for whatever lies ahead].
19
She stretches out her hands to the [b]distaff,
And her hands hold the spindle [as she spins wool into thread for clothing].
20
She opens and extends her hand to the poor,
And she reaches out her filled hands to the needy.
21
She does not fear the snow for her household,
For all in her household are clothed in [expensive] scarlet [wool].(C)
22
She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry.
Her clothing is linen, pure and fine, and purple [wool].(D)
23
Her husband is known in the [city’s] gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.(E)
24
She makes [fine] linen garments and sells them;
And supplies sashes to the merchants.
25
Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure;
And she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].
26
She opens her mouth in [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue [giving counsel and instruction].
27
She looks well to how things go in her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.(F)
28
Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired);
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying,
29
“Many daughters have done nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness],
[c]But you excel them all.”
30
Charm and grace are deceptive, and [superficial] beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord [reverently worshiping, obeying, serving, and trusting Him with awe-filled respect], she shall be praised.
31
Give her of the product of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city].(G)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 The following verses are written as an acrostic poem (each of the twenty-two verses begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet). Aside from the artistry, the acrostic structure also aided memorization.
- Proverbs 31:19 I.e. the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning.
- Proverbs 31:29 The source of this remarkable woman’s success and competence is revealed in v 30, and it is a source available to everyone. She is wise because she understands and puts into practice the message contained in 9:10.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
