Proverbs 5:15-19
The Voice
People are easily seduced, especially men. Everyone is vulnerable to sexual sin at some point or another, and history is strewn with the wreckage that results when the path of adultery is followed: bitterness, death, instability, loss, ruin. Time and again, these are the consequences of violating God’s instruction.
15 Here’s what you should do to be satisfied:
go home and drink in the pleasures of your own cistern, your wife;
enjoy the sweet, fresh water that has been there all along, flowing from your own well.
16 Take care. Should your own springs, your body, be freely shared?
Should your streams of water satisfy anyone in the streets? Absolutely not!
17 They should be kept pure for you and you alone,
not for sharing with strangers.
18 May your fountain, your sex life, be blessed by God;
may you know true joy with the wife of your youth.
19 She who is lovely as a deer and graceful as a doe—
as you drink in her love,
may her breasts satisfy you at all times.
Proverbs 11:16
The Voice
16 A gracious woman acquires honor,
but cruel people are only interested in acquiring money.
Proverbs 11:22
The Voice
22 Much like a gold ring in the snout of a pig,
so is a beautiful woman who lacks good judgment.
Proverbs 12:4
The Voice
4 A dignified wife brings honor to her husband,
but a shameful wife is like decay eating away at his bones.
Proverbs 14:1
The Voice
14 A wise woman builds her house,
but a foolish one picks it to splinters with her own hands.
Proverbs 18:22
The Voice
22 The man who finds a wife finds something good,
and the favor of the Eternal is indeed his.
Proverbs 21:9
The Voice
9 It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof
than to live inside your house with a badgering wife.
Proverbs 21:19
The Voice
19 You would be better off living in the middle of the desert
than with an angry and argumentative wife.
Proverbs 25:24
The Voice
24 It is better to dwell outside on the corner of your roof
than to live inside your house with a badgering wife.
Proverbs 27:15-16
The Voice
15 A constant dripping on a rainy day
and a wife’s bickering are very much alike:
16 Anyone who tries to control her might as well try to control the wind
or pick up oil in his right hand.
Proverbs 30:18-19
The Voice
18 There are three mysteries I find absolutely amazing,
no, make it four I cannot comprehend:
19 The way an eagle flies through the sky,
the way a snake moves over a rock,
The way a boat glides through the middle of the sea,
and the way a man becomes one with his virgin wife.
Proverbs 31:10-31
The Voice
King Lemuel’s mother warns him of the dangers of women and wine. In different ways, both have brought down great leaders. Both are certainly distractions to a king’s true work—defending the poor.
10 Who can find a truly excellent woman? One who is superior in all that she is and all that she does?
Her worth far exceeds that of rubies and expensive jewelry.
11 She inspires trust, and her husband’s heart is safe with her,
and because of her, he has every good thing.
12 Every day of her life she does what is best for him,
never anything harmful or hurtful.
13 Delight attends her work and guides her fingers
as she selects the finest wool and flax for spinning.
14 She moves through the market like merchant ships
that dock here and there in distant ports,
finally arriving home with food she’s carried from afar.
15 She rises from bed early, in the still of night,
carefully preparing food for her family
and providing a portion to her servants.
16 She has a plan. She considers some land and buys it;
then with her earnings, she plants a vineyard.
17 She wraps herself in strength, carries herself with confidence,
and works hard, strengthening her arms for the task at hand.
18 She tastes success and knows it is good,
and under lamplight she works deep into the night.
19 Her hands skillfully place the unspun flax and wool on the distaff,
and her fingers twist the spindle until thread forms.
20 She reaches out to the poor
and extends mercy to those in need.
21 She is not worried about the cold or snow for her family,
for she has clothed them all in warm, crimson coats.
22 She makes her own bed linens
and clothes herself in purple and fine cloth.
23 Everyone recognizes her husband in the public square,
and no one fails to respect him as he takes his place of leadership in the community.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them in the market,
and she supplies belts for tradesmen to carry across the sea.
25 Clothed in strength and dignity, with nothing to fear,
she smiles when she thinks about the future.
26 She conducts her conversations with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is ever her concern.
27 She directs the activities of her household,
and never does she indulge in laziness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her.
Her husband, too, joins in the praise, saying:
29 “There are some—indeed many—women who do well in every way,
but of all of them only you are truly excellent.”
30 Charm can be deceptive and physical beauty will not last,
but a woman who reveres the Eternal should be praised above all others.
31 Celebrate all she has achieved.
Let all her accomplishments publicly praise her.[a]
Marrying the right person is one of the most important decisions most people ever make, so they must choose wisely and carefully. The Book of Proverbs ends with a tribute to a wise choice in a wife. She is strong, independent, capable, and cares for her husband, her family, and the poor. She runs the whole household. In ancient Israel, this would mean a large extended family—including servants with all of their activities—and the family business. Her husband would sing her praises publicly before the community leaders. Those who know her would admire her for her skills, her industry, and her character.
Footnotes
- 31:10-31 A Hebrew acrostic poem
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
