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114 When Isra’el came out of Egypt,
the house of Ya‘akov from a people of foreign speech,
Y’hudah became [God’s] sanctuary,
Isra’el his domain.

The sea saw this and fled;
the Yarden turned back;
the mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like young sheep.

Why is it, sea, that you flee?
Why, Yarden, do you turn back?
Why, mountains, do you skip like rams;
and you hills like young sheep?

Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Ya‘akov,
who turned the rock into a pool of water,
flint into flowing spring.

31 The words of King L’mu’el, the prophecy with which his mother disciplined him:

No, my son! No, son of my womb!
    No, son of my vows!
Don’t give your strength to women
    or your ways to that which destroys kings.
It is not for kings, L’mu’el,
    not for kings to drink wine;
it is not for rulers to ask,
    “Where can I find strong liquor?”
For they may drink, then forget what has been decreed,
    and pervert the justice due to the poor.
Give strong liquor to one who is perishing,
    wine to the deeply depressed;
let him drink, forget his poverty
    and cease to remember his troubles.

Speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who need an advocate.
Speak up, judge righteously,
    defend the cause of the poor and the needy.

א 10 Who can find a capable wife?
        Her value is far beyond that of pearls.
ב 11 Her husband trusts her from his heart,
        and she will prove a great asset to him.
ג 12 She works to bring him good, not harm,
        all the days of her life.

ד 13 She procures a supply of wool and flax
        and works with willing hands.
ה 14 She is like those merchant vessels,
        bringing her food from far away.
ו 15 It’s still dark when she rises to give food to her household
        and orders to the young women serving her.

ז 16 She considers a field, then buys it,
        and from her earnings she plants a vineyard.
ח 17 She gathers her strength around her
        and throws herself into her work.
ט 18 She sees that her business affairs go well;
        her lamp stays lit at night.

י 19 She puts her hands to the staff with the flax;
        her fingers hold the spinning rod.
כ 20 She reaches out to embrace the poor
        and opens her arms to the needy.

ל 21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
        since all of them are doubly clothed.
מ 22 She makes her own quilts;
        she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

נ 23 Her husband is known at the city gates
        when he sits with the leaders of the land.
ס 24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
        she supplies the merchants with sashes.

ע 25 Clothed with strength and dignity,
        she can laugh at the days to come.
פ 26 When she opens her mouth, she speaks wisely;
        on her tongue is loving instruction.
צ 27 She watches how things go in her house,
        not eating the bread of idleness.

ק 28 Her children arise; they make her happy;
        her husband too, as he praises her:
ר 29 “Many women have done wonderful things,
        but you surpass them all!”

ש 30 Charm can lie, beauty can vanish,
        but a woman who fears Adonai should be praised.
ת 31 Give her a share in what she produces;
        let her works speak her praises at the city gates.

In the same way, wives, submit to your husbands; so that even if some of them do not believe the Word, they will be won over by your conduct, without your saying anything, as they see your respectful and pure behavior. Your beauty should not consist in externals such as fancy hairstyles, gold jewelry or what you wear; rather, let it be the inner character of your heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit. In God’s sight this is of great value. This is how the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves and submit to their husbands, the way Sarah obeyed Avraham, honoring him as her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not succumb to fear.

You husbands, likewise, conduct your married lives with understanding. Although your wife may be weaker physically, you should respect her as a fellow-heir of the gift of Life. If you don’t, your prayers will be blocked.

Finally, all of you, be one in mind and feeling; love as brothers; and be compassionate and humble-minded, not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult, but, on the contrary, with blessing. For it is to this that you have been called, so that you may receive a blessing. 10 For

“Whoever wants to love life and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit,
11 turn from evil and do good,
seek peace and chase after it.
12 For Adonai keeps his eyes on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayers;
but the face of Adonai is against
those who do evil things.”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 3:12 Psalm 34:13-17(12-16)

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