The Blessings of a Good Wife

¹Blessed is the husband of a good wife,

for his lifespan will be doubled.

²A virtuous wife brings joy to her husband,

and he will live out his years in peace.

³A good wife is a great blessing;

she will be one of the blessings given to the man who fears the Lord.

⁴Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,

and his face is always cheerful.

⁵Three things frighten my heart,

and a fourth makes me afraid:

slander in a city, the gathering of a mob,

and false accusation—all these are worse than death.

⁶But there is grief and heartache when a wife is jealous over another woman,

and her tongue-lashing will let everyone know about it.

⁷A bad wife chafes like a poorly fitted yoke;

trying to control her is like grasping a scorpion.

⁸A drunken wife makes her husband very angry,

for she cannot hide her shameful behavior.

⁹An unfaithful wife is revealed by her bold stare,

and her glances give her away.

¹⁰Keep a strict watch over a strong-willed daughter,

or else, when she gets a chance, she will take advantage of it.

¹¹Watch out for her immodest glances,

and do not be surprised if she disobeys you.

¹²Like a thirsty traveler who is eager

to drink from any water nearby,

she will sleep with anyone

and open her quiver to any arrow.

¹³A wife’s charm pleases her husband,

and her skill puts meat on his bones.

¹⁴A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,

and nothing is worth more than her good character.

¹⁵A modest wife becomes ever more pleasing,

and no price can be placed on her faithfulness.

¹⁶Like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens,

so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-kept home.

¹⁷Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,

so is a beautiful face on a graceful figure.

¹⁸Like golden pillars on silver bases,

so are shapely legs and steady feet.

Warnings against Ungodly Women

¹⁹My child, be careful not to ruin yourself in the prime of your life,

and do not spend your strength on women you don’t even know.

²⁰With regard to women, look for a fertile field within the whole plain,

and plant it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock.

²¹Your offspring will grow strong,

and they will become great, since they know they come from a good family.

²²People regard a prostitute as spittle,

and a married woman as a tower of death for her lovers.

²³The wicked man inherits an ungodly wife,

while the man who fears the Lord receives a devout wife.

²⁴A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully,

but a humble daughter will act modestly even around her husband.

²⁵People regard a stubborn wife as a dog,

but a wife who possesses modesty fears the Lord.

²⁶Everyone regards as wise a wife who honors her husband,

but everyone will think she is ungodly if she pridefully dishonors him.

Blessed is the husband of a good wife,

for his lifespan will be doubled.

²⁷A loud, talkative wife is like a trumpet sounding the charge,

and everyone like this experiences all the upheavals of war.

Miscellaneous Instruction

²⁸Two things grieve my heart,

and a third arouses my anger:

a warrior in poverty, an intelligent person who is despised,

and someone who turns from righteousness to sin.

The Lord will prepare this last person for a violent death.

²⁹It is difficult for a merchant to keep from doing wrong

and for a shopkeeper to keep from sinning.