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22 A ring of gold in the snout of a pig
    is a woman who is beautiful but without discretion.

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22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.(A)

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A woman of strength[a] is the crown of her master,[b]
    but like rot in his bones is she who brings shame.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Or “honor”
  2. Proverbs 12:4 Or “lord, owner”

A wife of noble character[a] is her husband’s crown,(A)
but a wife who causes shame
is like rottenness in his bones.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:4 Or A wife of quality, or A wife of good character

14 The wisest of women[a] builds her house,
    but the foolish tears it down with her hands.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 14:1 Literally “wise ones of women”

14 Every wise woman builds her house,(A)
but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.(B)

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22 He who finds a wife[a] finds good,
    and he will obtain favor from Yahweh.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 18:22 Or “woman”

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

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13 A foolish child is a ruin to his father,
    and the quarreling of a woman[a] is a continuous dripping.
14 A house and wealth are an inheritance from fathers,
    but from Yahweh comes a woman[b] who is prudent.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:13 Or “wife”
  2. Proverbs 19:14 Or “wife”

13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin,(A)
and a wife’s nagging is an endless dripping.(B)

14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers,(C)
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

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Better to dwell on the corner of a roof
    than to share a house with a woman[a] of contention.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 21:9 Or “wife”

Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(A)

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19 Better to live in a land of wilderness
    than with a wife of quarrels and provocation.

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19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(A)

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15 Dripping constantly on a day of heavy rain
    and a woman[a] of contention are alike.
16 In restraining her, he restrains wind,[b]
    and his right hand will grasp oil[c].

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:15 Or “wife”
  2. Proverbs 27:16 Or “breath, or “spirit”
  3. Proverbs 27:16 Or “fat”

15 An endless dripping on a rainy day
and a nagging wife are alike;(A)
16 the one who controls her controls the wind
and grasps oil with his right hand.

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An Excellent Woman[a]

10 A woman[b] of excellence,[c] who will find?
    For her worth is far more than precious jewels.
11 The heart of her husband[d] trusts in her,
    and gain he will not lack.
12 She does him good, but not harm
    all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
    and she works with the diligence of her hands.[e]
14 She is like the ships of a merchant;
    from far off she brings her food;[f]
15 And she arises while it is still night,
    and gives food to her household,
    and tasks to her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it,
    from the fruit of her hand[g] she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her waist in strength,
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good;
    her lamp does not go out in the night.
19 Her hands she puts onto the distaff,[h]
    and her palms hold a spindle.
20 Her palm she opens to the poor,
    and her hand she reaches out to the needy.
21 She does not fear for her house when it snows,
    for her entire household[i] is clothed in crimson.
22 She makes for herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband[j] is known at the gates,
    in his seat among the elders of the land.
24 Linen garments she makes and sells,
    and she supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the future.[k]
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.
27 She looks after the ways of her household,
    and the bread of idleness she will not eat.
28 Her children rise and consider her happy,
    her husband[l] also, and he praises her;
29 “Many daughters have done excellence,[m]
    but you surpass[n] all of them.”
30 Charm[o] is deceit and beauty[p] is vain;[q]
    but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised.
31 Give to her from the fruit of her hand,
    and may they praise her works in the city gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Prov 31:10–31 is an acrostic poem
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Or “wife”
  3. Proverbs 31:10 Or “strength,” or “valor,” or “ability,” or “efficiency”
  4. Proverbs 31:11 Or “lord”
  5. Proverbs 31:13 Literally “her palms”
  6. Proverbs 31:14 Or “bread”
  7. Proverbs 31:16 Literally “her palm”
  8. Proverbs 31:19 A stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound in preparation for spinning
  9. Proverbs 31:21 Literally “all her house, household”
  10. Proverbs 31:23 Or “lord”
  11. Proverbs 31:25 Literally “to the day/time coming after”
  12. Proverbs 31:28 Or “lord”
  13. Proverbs 31:29 Or “strength,” or “valor,” or “ability,” or “efficiency”
  14. Proverbs 31:29 Literally “you ascend over”
  15. Proverbs 31:30 Hebrew “The charm”
  16. Proverbs 31:30 Hebrew “the beauty”
  17. Proverbs 31:30 Or “vapor,” or “emptiness,” or “breath”

In Praise of a Wife of Noble Character

10 Who can find a wife of noble character?[a](A)
She is far more precious than jewels.[b]
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
12 She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from far away.(B)
15 She rises while it is still night(C)
and provides food for her household
and portions[c] for her female servants.(D)
16 She evaluates a field and buys it;
she plants a vineyard with her earnings.[d](E)
17 She draws on her strength[e]
and reveals that her arms are strong.(F)
18 She sees that her profits are good,
and her lamp never goes out at night.(G)
19 She extends her hands to the spinning staff,
and her hands hold the spindle.(H)
20 Her hands reach[f] out to the poor,
and she extends her hands to the needy.(I)
21 She is not afraid for her household when it snows,
for all in her household are doubly clothed.[g]
22 She makes her own bed coverings;(J)
her clothing is fine linen(K) and purple.(L)
23 Her husband is known at the city gates,
where he sits among the elders of the land.(M)
24 She makes and sells linen garments;
she delivers belts[h] to the merchants.
25 Strength(N) and honor are her clothing,(O)
and she can laugh at the time to come.(P)
26 Her mouth speaks wisdom,
and loving instruction[i] is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household(Q)
and is never idle.[j]
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[k] have done noble deeds,
but you surpass them all!” (R)
30 Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting,(S)
but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.
31 Give her the reward of her labor,[l]
and let her works praise her at the city gates.

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Footnotes

  1. 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a capable wife
  2. 31:10 Vv. 10–31 form an acrostic.
  3. 31:15 Or tasks
  4. 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
  5. 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
  6. 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
  7. 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
  8. 31:24 Or sashes
  9. 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
  10. 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
  11. 31:29 Lit daughters
  12. 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands