Proverbs 5:15-19
New King James Version
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
[a]Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with (A)the wife of your youth.
19 (B)As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be [b]enraptured with her love.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 5:16 Channels
- Proverbs 5:19 Lit. intoxicated
Proverbs 5:15-19
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 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 deer, a graceful doe[a]—
let her breasts always satisfy you;(D)
be lost in her love forever.
Footnotes
- 5:19 Or graceful mountain goat
Proverbs 11:16
New King James Version
16 A gracious woman retains honor,
But ruthless men retain riches.
Proverbs 11:16
Christian Standard Bible
16 A gracious woman gains honor,
but violent[a] people gain only riches.
Footnotes
- 11:16 Or ruthless
Proverbs 11:22
New King James Version
22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout,
So is a lovely woman who lacks [a]discretion.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:22 taste
Proverbs 11:22
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 King James Version
4 (A)An[a] excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
But she who causes shame is (B)like rottenness in his bones.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:4 Lit. A wife of valor
Proverbs 12:4
Christian Standard Bible
4 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)
Footnotes
- 12:4 Or A wife of quality, or A wife of good character
Proverbs 14:1
New King James Version
The Ways of Life and Death
14 The wise woman builds her house,
But the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
Proverbs 14:1
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 18:22
New King James Version
22 (A)He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22
Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 21:9
New King James Version
9 Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with (A)a contentious woman.
Proverbs 21:9
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 King James Version
19 Better to dwell [a]in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:19 Lit. in the land of the desert
Proverbs 21:19
Christian Standard Bible
19 Better to live in a wilderness
than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.(A)
Proverbs 25:24
New King James Version
24 (A)It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
Proverbs 25:24
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 King James Version
15 A (A)continual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 Whoever [a]restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:16 Lit. hides
Proverbs 27:15-16
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 King James Version
18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19 The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the [a]midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:19 Lit. heart
Proverbs 30:18-19
Christian Standard Bible
18 Three things are too wondrous for me;(A)
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 King James Version
The Virtuous Wife
10 (A)Who[a] can find a [b]virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 (B)She also rises while it is yet night,
And (C)provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From [c]her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20 (D)She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 (E)Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over 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 daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10–31 are an alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew; cf. Ps. 119
- Proverbs 31:10 Lit. a wife of valor, in the sense of all forms of excellence
- Proverbs 31:16 Lit. the fruit of her hands
Proverbs 31:10-31
Christian Standard Bible
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.
Footnotes
- 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a capable wife
- 31:10 Vv. 10–31 form an acrostic.
- 31:15 Or tasks
- 31:16 Or vineyard by her own labors
- 31:17 Lit She wraps strength around her like a belt
- 31:20 Lit Her hand reaches
- 31:21 LXX, Vg; MT reads are dressed in scarlet
- 31:24 Or sashes
- 31:26 Or and the teaching of kindness
- 31:27 Lit and does not eat the bread of idleness
- 31:29 Lit daughters
- 31:31 Lit the fruit of her hands
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.