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15 Drink water out of your own cistern,
    running water out of your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be for yourself alone,
    not for strangers with you.
18 Let your spring be blessed.
    Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer—
    let her breasts satisfy you at all times.
    Be captivated always with her love.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:15 Lit flowing
  2. Proverbs 5:19 Lit intoxicated

16 A gracious woman obtains honor,
    but violent men obtain riches.

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16 A (A)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.

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22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout,
    is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

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22 As a (A)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

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A worthy woman is the crown of her husband,
    but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

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An [a](A)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (B)rottenness in his bones.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous

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

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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.

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22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing,
    and obtains favor of Yahweh.

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22 He who finds a (A)wife finds a good thing
And (B)obtains favor from the Lord.

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It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop
    than to share a house with a contentious woman.

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It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association

19 It is better to dwell in a desert land,
    than with a contentious and fretful woman.

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19 (A)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.

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24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop
    than to share a house with a contentious woman.

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24 It is (A)better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 25:24 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association

15 A continual dropping on a rainy day
    and a contentious wife are alike:
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind,
    or like grasping oil in his right hand.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  2. Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
  3. Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters

18 “There are three things which are too amazing for me,
    four which I don’t 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 maiden.

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 30:19 Lit young unmarried woman

10 [a]Who can find a worthy woman?
    For her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her.
    He shall have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
    and works eagerly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships.
    She brings her bread from afar.
15 She rises also while it is yet night,
    gives food to her household,
    and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field, and buys it.
    With the fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard.
17 She arms her waist with strength,
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp doesn’t go out by night.
19 She lays her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her arms to the poor;
    yes, she extends her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household;
    for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes for herself carpets of tapestry.
    Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected in the gates,
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing.
    She laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom.
    Kind instruction is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
    and doesn’t eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed.
    Her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain;
    but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands!
    Let her works praise her in the gates!

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Footnotes

  1. 31:10 Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order.

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.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
  2. Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
  3. Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
  4. Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
  5. Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
  6. Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
  7. Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
  8. Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
  9. Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
  10. Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
  11. Proverbs 31:26 Or law
  12. Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
  13. Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit