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

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22 He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
    and obtains favor from the Lord.

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14 House and wealth are an (A)inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

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14 House and wealth are inherited from fathers,
    but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

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18 (A)Discipline your son while there is hope,
And do not desire [a]his death.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:18 Lit causing him to die

18 Discipline your son while there is hope;
    do not set your heart on his destruction.

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A righteous person who (A)walks in his integrity—
(B)How blessed are his sons after him.

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A righteous man who walks in his integrity—
    blessed are his sons after him!

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(A)Train up a child [a]in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:6 Lit according to his way

Train up a child in the way he should go,
    and when he is old he will not depart from it.

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15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The (A)rod of discipline will remove it far from him.

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15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
    but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.

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13 (A)Do not withhold discipline from a child;
Though you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
14 You shall strike him with the rod
And (B)rescue his soul from Sheol.

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13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
    if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14 If you beat him with the rod
    you will save his life from Sheol.

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11 (A)Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
So that I may (B)reply to one who taunts me.

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11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
    that I may answer him who reproaches me.

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A man who (A)loves wisdom makes his father glad,
But he who (B)involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.

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He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
    but one who keeps company with harlots squanders his substance.

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15 The (A)rod and a rebuke give wisdom,
But a child [a]who gets his own way (B)brings shame to his mother.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:15 Lit left to himself

15 The rod and reproof give wisdom,
    but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

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17 (A)Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;
He will also [a](B)delight your soul.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:17 Lit give delight to

17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
    he will give delight to your heart.

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Description of a Worthy Woman

10 An (A)excellent wife, who can find her?
For her worth is far (B)above 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 evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and linen,
And works with her [a]hands [b]in delight.
14 She is like (C)merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 And she (D)rises while it is still night
And (E)gives food to her household,
And [c]portions to her attendants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [d]her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She (F)surrounds her waist with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her profit is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the [e]distaff,
And her [f]hands grasp the spindle.
20 She [g](G)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are (H)clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes (I)coverings for herself;
Her clothing is (J)fine linen and (K)purple.
23 Her husband is known (L)in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes (M)linen garments and sells them,
And [h]supplies belts to the [i]tradesmen.
25 Strength and (N)dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the [j]future.
26 She (O)opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the [k]teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the activities of her household,
And does not eat the (P)bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who [l](Q)fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the [m]product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
  2. Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
  3. Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
  4. Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
  5. Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
  6. Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
  7. Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
  8. Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
  9. Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
  10. Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
  11. Proverbs 31:26 Or law
  12. Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
  13. Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit

Ode to a Capable Wife

10 A good wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than 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 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 rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and tasks for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds her loins 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 opens her hand to the poor,
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers girdles to the merchant.
25 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.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

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