1 The husband of a good wifeis favored,and the length of his life will be doubled.
2 A courageous wifewill make her husband happy,and he will complete his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a great blessing.The one who fears the Lord will receive her as part of his God-given portion.
4 Whether in poverty or in wealth,his heart is happy;at every moment he has a cheerful face.
5 My heart was cautious about three things,and I was fearfulin the face of a fourth—slander in a city,the gathering of a mob,and a false accusation—all of these are more miserablethan death.
6 Women who are rivalsbring heartache and grief,and a tongue-lashing shares itwith everyone.
7 A wicked wife is like a chafing ox yoke;the one who holds heris like one who grasps a scorpion.
8 A drunken wife is the same as rage;she won’t hide her disgraceful conduct.
9 A wife’s promiscuity is seenin the arrogance of her eyes,and her eyelids make it known.
10 Keep a strict watchover a disobedient daughter,or else, if she finds you off guard,she will take advantage of it.
11 Beware of her shameless eye,and don’t be surprisedif she wrongs you.
12 Just as thirsty travelerswill open their mouthsand drink from water that is near,she will sit in front of every peg,and she will open her quiverto an arrow.
13 A wife’s charm will delight her husband,and her skill will put fat on his bones.
14 A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,and nothing can be tradedfor her self-discipline.
15 A modest wife adds charm upon charm,and there is no balance that can weighthe full value of her self-control.
16 As the sun rising in the Lord’shigh heavens,so is the beauty of a good wifein her well-ordered home.
17 As a lamp shines on the holy lampstand,so also is a beautiful facealong with steady maturity.
18 Like gold pillars upon a silver base,so also are shapely legson steadfast feet.
19 My child, keep the vitalityof your prime of life safe and sound,and don’t give your strengthover to strangers.
20 After you have chosen a fertile plotout of every field,sow your own seed,being confident of yourexcellent descent.
21 Thus your offspring who surround youand who have confidencein their excellent descent,will become great.
22 A hired woman will be consideredthe same as spit,but a married woman will be considered a tower of death to those who associate too closely with her.
23 An ungodly woman will be bestowedon a lawless man as his portion,but a godly woman is grantedto the man who fears the Lord.
24 A shameless woman will always bein disgrace,but a dignified daughter will show modesty even with her husband.
25 An unruly wife will be thought ofas a dog,but the wife who feels shamewill fear the Lord.
26 A wife who honors her own husband will appear wise to everyone,but the wife who dishonors her husband with arrogancewill be known to all as ungodly.The husband of a good wife is happy,for the number of his years will double.
27 A loudmouthed and talkative wifeis like a battle trumpetsounding an attack.The spirit of the manwho lives under such conditionslives perpetually in the chaosof the battlefield.
28 My heart has been saddenedby two things,and I was made angry because of a third:a warrior who is needyand impoverished,intelligent people who are treatedwith contempt,and people who are turnedfrom righteousness to sin—the Lord will prepare themfor the sword.
29 A merchant will scarcely be keptfrom wrongdoing,and a retailer won’t be innocent of sin.