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22 A beautiful woman without good sense
    is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

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A good wife is like a crown for her husband.
    But a disgraceful wife is like a disease in his bones.

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14 A wise woman strengthens her family.
    But a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.

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22 A man who finds a wife finds something good.
    She shows that the Lord is pleased with him.

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13 A foolish son will ruin his father.
    And a quarreling wife is as bothersome as dripping water.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents.
    But a wise wife is a gift from the Lord.

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It is better to live in a corner on the roof[a]
    than inside the house with a quarreling wife.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:9 roof In Bible times houses were built with flat roofs. The roof was used for drying things such as flax and fruit. And it was used as an extra room, as a place for worship and as a place to sleep in the summer.

19 It is better to live alone in the desert
    than with a quarreling and complaining wife.

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15 A quarreling wife is as bothersome
    as a continual dripping on a rainy day.
16 Stopping her is like stopping the wind.
    It’s like trying to grab oil in your hand.

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The Good Wife

10 It is hard to find an excellent wife.
    She is worth more than rubies.
11 Her husband trusts her completely.
    With her, he has everything he needs.
12 She does him good and not harm
    for as long as she lives.
13 She looks for wool and linen.
    She likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a trader’s ship.
    She goes far to get food.
15 She gets up while it is still dark.
    She prepares food for her family.
    She also feeds her servant girls.
16 She looks at a field and buys it.
    With money she has earned, she plants a vineyard.
17 She does her work with energy.
    Her arms are strong.
18 She makes sure that what she makes is good.
    She works by her lamp late into the night.
19 She makes thread with her hands
    and weaves her own cloth.
20 She welcomes the poor.
    She helps the needy.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows.
    They all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes coverings for her bed.
    Her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
23 Her husband is recognized at the city meetings.
    He makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
24 She makes linen clothes and sells them.
    She provides belts to the merchants.
25 She is strong and is respected by the people.
    She looks forward to the future with joy.
26 She speaks wise words.
    And she teaches others to be kind.
27 She watches over her family.
    And she is always busy.
28 Her children bless her.
    Her husband also praises her.
29 He says, “There are many excellent wives,
    but you are better than all of them.”
30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you.
    But a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned.
    She should be openly praised for what she has done.

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