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18 Let your (A)fountain be blessed,
And (B)be glad in the (C)wife of your youth.

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18 Let your fountain be blessed
    and enjoy the wife of your youth.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Or A virtuous

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

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

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

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13 A (A)foolish son is destruction to his father,
And the (B)contentions of a wife are a constant dripping.
14 House and wealth are an (C)inheritance from fathers,
But a wife who has insight is from Yahweh.

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13 A father’s ruin is a foolish son,
    and a wife’s quarreling is like[a] dripping water that never stops.
14 A house and self-sufficiency are a father’s inheritance,
    but from the Lord comes an insightful wife.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 The Heb. lacks like

A Woman Who Fears Yahweh

Aleph

10 [a]An (A)excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far (B)above pearls.

Beth

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.

Gimel

12 She deals bountifully with him for good and not evil
All the days of her life.

Daleth

13 She searches for wool and flax
And works with her [b]hands [c]in delight.

He

14 She is like (C)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.

Vav

15 And she (D)rises while it is still night,
And (E)gives [d]food to her household
And a [e]portion to her young women.

Zayin

16 She makes plans for a field and buys it;
From the fruit of her [f]hands she plants a vineyard.

Heth

17 She (F)girds [g]herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.

Teth

18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.

Yodh

19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her [h]hands hold fast the spindle.

Kaph

20 She [i](G)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

Lamedh

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (H)clothed with scarlet.

Mem

22 She makes (I)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is (J)fine linen and (K)purple.

Nun

23 Her husband is known (L)in the gates,
When he sits with the elders of the land.

Samekh

24 She makes (M)linen garments and sells them,
And gives belts to the [j]tradesmen.

Ayin

25 Strength and (N)majesty are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [k]future.

Pe

26 She (O)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [l]instruction of lovingkindness is on her tongue.

Tsadhe

27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the (P)bread of [m]idleness.

Qoph

28 Her children rise up and bless her;
As for her husband, he also praises her, saying:

Resh

29 “Many daughters have done excellently,
But you have gone above them all.”

Shin

30 [n]Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [o](Q)fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.

Tav

31 Give to her from the fruit of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Lit a woman of excellence, a woman of strength
  2. Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
  3. Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
  4. Proverbs 31:15 Lit prey
  5. Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed task
  6. Proverbs 31:16 Lit palms
  7. Proverbs 31:17 Lit her loins
  8. Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
  9. Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
  10. Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
  11. Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
  12. Proverbs 31:26 Or law
  13. Proverbs 31:27 Lit being a sluggard
  14. Proverbs 31:30 Lit Gracefulness
  15. Proverbs 31:30 Or reverences

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