15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(A) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(B)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(C)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

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The Delights of Marital Faithfulness

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    and fresh[a] water from your own well.
16 Should your springs flow outside,
    or streams of water in the street?
17 They should be for you alone
    and not for strangers who are with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed
    and enjoy the wife of your youth.
19 Like a loving deer, a beautiful doe,
    let her breasts satisfy you all the time.
        Be constantly intoxicated by her love.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:15 Lit. flowing

16 A kindhearted woman gains honor,(A)
    but ruthless men gain only wealth.

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16 A gracious woman attains honor,[a]
    but[b] ruthless men attain[c] wealth.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads honor for her husband
  2. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads but a seat of dishonor is for the woman who hates justice
  3. Proverbs 11:16 So MT; LXX reads justice. The deficient shrink from wealth, but the diligent support themselves with

22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

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22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
    is a beautiful woman without discretion.

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A wife of noble character(A) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(B)

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A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband,
    but a wife[a] who puts him to shame is like bone cancer.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. but she
  2. Proverbs 12:4 Lit. decay

14 The wise woman builds her house,(A)
    but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

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How Wise People Live

14 Every wise woman builds up her household,
but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

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22 He who finds a wife finds what is good(A)
    and receives favor from the Lord.(B)

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22 Whoever finds a wife finds what is good,
    and receives favor from the Lord.

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Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(A)

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It’s better to live in a corner on the roof
    than to share a house with a contentious woman.

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19 Better to live in a desert
    than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.(A)

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19 It’s better to live in the wilderness
    than to live with a contentious and irritable woman.

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24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
    than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.(A)

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24 It’s better to live in a corner on the roof
    than in a house with a contentious woman.

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15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping(A)
    of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
    or grasping oil with the hand.

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15 A continual dripping on a rainy day
    and a contentious wife are alike.
16 Trying to keep her in check is like stopping a wind storm
    or grabbing oil with your right hand.

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18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
    four that I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
    the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
    and the way of a man with a young woman.

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What Causes Wonder

18 Three things cause wonder for me;
    four are beyond my understanding:
19 The way an eagle flies 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 young woman.

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Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]A wife of noble character(A) who can find?(B)
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(C) has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.(D)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.(E)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.(F)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders(G) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(H)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise(I) at the city gate.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Honorable Woman

10 Who can find a capable wife?
    Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her;
    as a result, he lacks nothing of value.
12 She will bring good to him—never evil—
    every day of her life.
13 She seeks out wool and flax,
    working with eager hands.
14 She is like a seagoing ship
    that brings her food from far away.
15 She rises while it is still night,
    preparing meals for her family
        and providing for her women servants.
16 She evaluates a field and purchases it;
    from the proceeds she plants a vineyard.
17 She clothes herself with fortitude,
    and fortifies her arms with strength.
18 She is confident that her profits are sufficient.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She works with her own hands on her clothes[a]
    her hands work the sewing spindle.
20 She reaches out to the poor,
    opening her hands to those in need.
21 She is unafraid of winter’s effect on[b] her household,
    because all of them are warmly clothed.[c]
22 She creates her own bedding,
    using fine linen and violet cloth.
23 Her husband is well known;[d]
    he sits among the leaders of the land.
24 She designs and sells linen garments,
    supplying accessories[e] to clothiers.
25 Strength and dignity are her garments;
    she smiles about the future.
26 She speaks wisely,
    teaching with gracious love.
27 She looks discretely to the affairs of her household,
    and she is never lazy.[f]
28 Her children stand up and encourage her,
    as does her husband, who praises her:
29 “Many women have done wonderful things,” he says,[g]
    “but you surpass all of them!”

30 Charm is deceitful and beauty fades;
    but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Reward her for her work—
    let her actions result in public praise.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:19 Lit. staff
  2. Proverbs 31:21 Lit. of the snow for
  3. Proverbs 31:21 Lit. are clothed in red
  4. Proverbs 31:23 Lit. is known in the gates
  5. Proverbs 31:24 Or belts
  6. Proverbs 31:27 Lit. she does not eat the food of laziness
  7. Proverbs 31:29 The Heb. lacks he says
  8. Proverbs 31:31 Lit. in praise in the gates