Proverbs 5:15-19
New Living Translation
15 Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.[a]
16 Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?[b]
17 You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.
18 Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
Proverbs 5:15-19
Christian Standard Bible
Enjoy Marriage
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
water flowing from your own well.(A)
16 Should your springs flow in the streets,
streams in the public squares?(B)
17 They should be for you alone
and not for you to share with strangers.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.(C)
19 A loving deer, a graceful doe[a]—
let her breasts always satisfy you;(D)
be lost in her love forever.
Footnotes
- 5:19 Or graceful mountain goat
Proverbs 11:16
New Living Translation
16 A gracious woman gains respect,
but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Proverbs 11:16
Christian Standard Bible
16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] people gain only riches.
Footnotes
- 11:16 Or ruthless
Proverbs 11:22
New Living Translation
22 A beautiful woman who lacks discretion
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.
Proverbs 11:22
Christian Standard Bible
22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.(A)
Proverbs 12:4
New Living Translation
4 A worthy wife is a crown for her husband,
but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.
Proverbs 12:4
Christian Standard Bible
4 A wife of noble character[a] is her husband’s crown,(A)
but a wife who causes shame
is like rottenness in his bones.(B)
Footnotes
- 12:4 Or A wife of quality, or A wife of good character
Proverbs 14:1
New Living Translation
14 A wise woman builds her home,
but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Proverbs 14:1
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 18:22
New Living Translation
22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 21:9
New Living Translation
9 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.
Proverbs 21:9
Christian Standard Bible
9 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(A)
Proverbs 21:19
New Living Translation
19 It’s better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.
Proverbs 21:19
Christian Standard Bible
19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(A)
Proverbs 25:24
New Living Translation
24 It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.
Proverbs 25:24
Christian Standard Bible
24 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(A)
Proverbs 27:15-16
New Living Translation
15 A quarrelsome wife is as annoying
as constant dripping on a rainy day.
16 Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind
or trying to hold something with greased hands.
Proverbs 27:15-16
Christian Standard Bible
15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;(A)
16 the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.
Proverbs 30:18-19
New Living Translation
18 There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
19 how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman.
Proverbs 30:18-19
Christian Standard Bible
18 Three things are too wondrous for me;(A)
four I can’t understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31
New Living Translation
A Wife of Noble Character
10 [a]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm[b] clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
Proverbs 31:10-31
Christian Standard Bible
In Praise of a Wife of Noble Character
10 Who can find a wife of noble character?[a](A)
She is far more precious than jewels.[b]
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.(B)
15 She rises while it is still night(C)
and provides food for her household
and portions[c] for her female servants.(D)
16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.[d](E)
17 She draws on her strength[e]
and reveals that her arms are strong.(F)
18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.(G)
19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.(H)
20 Her hands reach[f] out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.(I)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.[g]
22 She makes her own bed coverings;(J)
her clothing is fine linen(K) and purple.(L)
23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.(M)
24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts[h] to the merchants.
25 Strength(N) and honor are her clothing,(O)
and she can laugh at the time to come.(P)
26 Her mouth speaks wisdom,
and loving instruction[i] is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household(Q)
and is never idle.[j]
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[k] have done noble deeds,
but you surpass them all!” (R)
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,(S)
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor,[l]
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Footnotes
- 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a capable wife
- 31:10 Vv. 10–31 form an acrostic.
- 31:15 Or tasks
- 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
- 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
- 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
- 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
- 31:24 Or sashes
- 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
- 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
- 31:29 Lit daughters
- 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.