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

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22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
    and he receives favor from the Lord.

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

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14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth,
    but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.

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18 Discipline your son while there is hope;
don’t be intent on killing him.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:18 Lit don’t lift up your soul to his death

18 Discipline your children while there is hope.
    Otherwise you will ruin their lives.

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The one who lives with integrity is righteous;(A)
his children[a] who come after him will be happy.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 20:7 Lit sons

The godly walk with integrity;
    blessed are their children who follow them.

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Teach a youth about the way he should go;(A)
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

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Direct your children onto the right path,
    and when they are older, they will not leave it.

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15 Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth;
the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.(A)

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15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness,
    but physical discipline will drive it far away.

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13 Don’t withhold discipline from a youth;
if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.(A)
14 Strike him with a rod,
and you will rescue his life from Sheol.(B)

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13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.
    The rod of punishment won’t kill them.
14 Physical discipline
    may well save them from death.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 23:14 Hebrew from Sheol.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring my heart joy,(A)
so that I can answer anyone who taunts me.(B)

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11 Be wise, my child,[a] and make my heart glad.
    Then I will be able to answer my critics.

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Footnotes

  1. 27:11 Hebrew my son.

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,(A)
but one who consorts with prostitutes destroys his wealth.(B)

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The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
    but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.

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15 A rod of correction imparts wisdom,(A)
but a youth left to himself[a]
is a disgrace to his mother.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:15 Lit youth sent away

15 To discipline a child produces wisdom,
    but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.

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17 Discipline your son, and it will bring you peace of mind(A)
and give you delight.

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17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind
    and will make your heart glad.

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In Praise of a Capable Wife

10 Who can find a capable wife?[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 She opens her mouth with 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 sons rise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also praises her:
29 “Many women[k] are capable,
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. Proverbs 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a wife of noble character
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10-31 form an acrostic.
  3. Proverbs 31:15 Or tasks
  4. Proverbs 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
  5. Proverbs 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
  6. Proverbs 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
  7. Proverbs 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
  8. Proverbs 31:24 Or sashes
  9. Proverbs 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
  10. Proverbs 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
  11. Proverbs 31:29 Lit daughters
  12. Proverbs 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands

A Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
    She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
    and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.

13 She finds wool and flax
    and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
    and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
    with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
    a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
    her lamp burns late into the night.

19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
    her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
    and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
    for everyone has warm[b] clothes.

22 She makes her own bedspreads.
    She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
    where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
    and sashes to sell to the merchants.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
    and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
    and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
    and suffers nothing from laziness.

28 Her children stand and bless her.
    Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
    but you surpass them all!”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
    but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
    Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

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Footnotes

  1. 31:10 Verses 10-31 comprise a Hebrew acrostic poem; each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. 31:21 As in Greek and Latin versions; Hebrew reads scarlet.