12 May our sons in their youth
    be like (A)plants full grown,
our daughters like (B)corner pillars
    cut for the structure of a palace;

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(A)Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be (B)the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, (C)calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and (D)do not fear anything that is frightening.

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Your wife will be like (A)a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like (B)olive shoots
    around your table.

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(A)For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
    and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
    and my blessing on your descendants.
They shall spring up among the grass
    (B)like willows by flowing streams.
(C)This one will say, ‘I am the Lord's,’
    another will call on the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord's,’
    and name himself by the name of Israel.”

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15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job's daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance (A)among their brothers.

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The precious sons of Zion,
    worth their weight in (A)fine gold,
how they are regarded as (B)earthen pots,
    the work of a potter's hands!

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Like arrows in the hand of (A)a warrior
    are the children[a] of one's youth.
Blessed is the man
    who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies (B)in the gate.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 127:4 Or sons
  2. Psalm 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate

14 May the Lord (A)give you increase,
    you and your children!
15 May (B)you be blessed by the Lord,
    (C)who made heaven and earth!

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16 The Lord said:
(A)Because (B)the daughters of Zion are haughty
    and walk with outstretched necks,
    glancing wantonly with their eyes,
mincing along as they go,
    (C)tinkling with their feet,
17 therefore the Lord (D)will strike with a scab
    the heads of (E)the daughters of Zion,
    and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

18 In that day the Lord will take away (F)the finery of the anklets, the (G)headbands, and the (H)crescents; 19 the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; 20 the (I)headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; 21 the signet rings and (J)nose rings; 22 the (K)festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; 23 the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

24 Instead of (L)perfume there will be rottenness;
    and instead of a (M)belt, a rope;
and instead of (N)well-set hair, (O)baldness;
    and instead of a rich robe, a (P)skirt of sackcloth;
    and (Q)branding instead of beauty.

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The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10 [a] (A)An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than (B)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 harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She (C)seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15 She (D)rises while it is yet night
    and (E)provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She (F)dresses herself[b] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She (G)opens her hand to (H)the poor
    and reaches out her hands to (I)the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in (J)scarlet.[c]
22 She makes (K)bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is (L)fine linen and (M)purple.
23 Her husband is known in (N)the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (O)linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 (P)Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
  2. Proverbs 31:17 Hebrew She girds her loins
  3. Proverbs 31:21 Or in double thickness

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