Proverbs 5:15-19
New American Standard Bible
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And [a]fresh water from your own well.
16 Should your (A)springs overflow into the street,
Streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your (B)fountain be blessed,
And (C)rejoice in the (D)wife of your youth.
19 Like a loving (E)doe and a graceful mountain goat,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be [b]exhilarated always with her love.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:15 Lit flowing
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit intoxicated
Proverbs 5:15-19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Enjoy Marriage
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
water flowing from your own well.(A)
16 Should your springs flow in the streets,
streams of water in the public squares?(B)
17 They should be for you alone
and not for you to share with strangers.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.(C)
19 A loving doe, a graceful fawn—
let her breasts always satisfy you;(D)
be lost in her love forever.
Proverbs 11:16
New American Standard Bible
16 A (A)gracious woman attains honor,
And ruthless men attain riches.
Proverbs 11:16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] men gain only riches.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:16 Or ruthless
Proverbs 11:22
New American Standard Bible
22 As a (A)ring of gold in a pig’s snout
So is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Proverbs 11:22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense
is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.(A)
Proverbs 12:4
New American Standard Bible
4 An [a](A)excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who shames him is like (B)rottenness in his bones.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Or virtuous
Proverbs 12:4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
4 A capable wife[a] is her husband’s crown,(A)
but a wife who causes shame
is like rottenness in his bones.(B)
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Or A wife of quality, or A wife of good character
Proverbs 14:1
New American Standard Bible
Contrast of the Upright and the Wicked
14 The (A)wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.
Proverbs 14:1
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 18:22
New American Standard Bible
Proverbs 18:22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 21:9
New American Standard Bible
9 It is better to live on a corner of a roof
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:9 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
Proverbs 21:9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
9 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(A)
Proverbs 21:19
New American Standard Bible
19 (A)It is better to live in a desert land
Than with a contentious and irritating woman.
Proverbs 21:19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(A)
Proverbs 25:24
New American Standard Bible
24 It is (A)better to live on a corner of the roof,
Than [a]in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:24 Lit with a woman of contentions and a house of association
Proverbs 25:24
Holman Christian Standard Bible
24 Better to live on the corner of a roof
than to share a house with a nagging wife.(A)
Proverbs 27:15-16
New American Standard Bible
15 A (A)constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would [a]restrain her [b]restrains the wind,
And [c]grasps oil with his right hand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit hide(s)
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit encounters
Proverbs 27:15-16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.
Proverbs 30:18-19
New American Standard Bible
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Four which I do not understand:
19 The way of the (A)eagle in the sky,
The way of a snake on a rock,
The way of a ship in the middle of the sea,
And the way of a man with a [a]virgin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit young unmarried woman
Proverbs 30:18-19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
18 Three things are beyond me;
four I can’t understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship at sea,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
Proverbs 31:10-31
New American Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:13 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:13 Or willingly
- Proverbs 31:15 Or prescribed tasks
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit the fruit of her palms
- Proverbs 31:19 I.e., the staff that holds the textile fibers for spinning
- Proverbs 31:19 Lit palms
- Proverbs 31:20 Lit spreads out her palm
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit gives
- Proverbs 31:24 Lit Canaanite
- Proverbs 31:25 Lit latter days
- Proverbs 31:26 Or law
- Proverbs 31:30 Or reveres
- Proverbs 31:31 Lit fruit
Proverbs 31:10-31
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a wife of noble character
- Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10-31 form an acrostic.
- Proverbs 31:15 Or tasks
- Proverbs 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
- Proverbs 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
- Proverbs 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
- Proverbs 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
- Proverbs 31:24 Or sashes
- Proverbs 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
- Proverbs 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
- Proverbs 31:29 Lit daughters
- Proverbs 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands
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