1Blessed is the man that hath a virtuous wife,
For the number of his days shall be double.

2A virtuous woman rejoiceth her husband,
And he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

3A good wife is a good portion,
Which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

4Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord,
He shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.

5There be three things that mine heart feareth;
And for the fourth I was sore afraid:
The slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude,
And a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

6But a grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous over another woman,
And a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

7An evil wife is a yoke shaken to and fro:
He that hath hold of her is as though he held a scorpion.

8A drunken woman and a gadder abroad causeth great anger,
And she will not cover her own shame.

9The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids.

10If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly,
Lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.

11Watch over an impudent eye:
And marvel not if she trespass against thee.

12She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain,
And drink of every water near her:
By every hedge will she sit down,
And open her quiver against every arrow.

13The grace of a wife delighteth her husband,
And her discretion will fat his bones.

14A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord;
And there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.

15A shamefast and faithful woman is a double grace,
And her continent mind cannot be valued.

16As the sun when it ariseth in the high heaven;
So is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of her house.

17As the clear light is upon the holy candlestick;
So is the beauty of the face in ripe age.

18As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver;
So are the fair feet with a constant heart.

19My son, keep the flower of thine age sound;
And give not thy strength to strangers.

20When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field,
Sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock.

21So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified,
Having the confidence of their good descent.

22A harlot shall be accounted as spittle;
But a married woman is a tower against death to her husband.

23A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man:
But a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord.

24A dishonest woman contemneth shame:
But an honest woman will reverence her husband.

25A shameless woman shall be counted as a dog;
But she that is shamefast will fear the Lord.

26A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all;
But she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.

27A loud crying woman and a scold
Shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.

28There be two things that grieve my heart;
And the third maketh me angry:
A man of war that suffereth poverty;
And men of understanding that are not set by;
And one that returneth from righteousness to sin;
The Lord prepareth such a one for the sword.

29A merchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong;
And a huckster shall not be freed from sin.