26
1 Happy is the husband of a good wife;
And the number of his days shall be twofold.
2 A brave woman rejoiceth her husband;
And he shall fulfil his years in peace.
3 A good wife is a good portion:
She shall be given in the portion of such as fear the Lord.
4 Whether a man be rich or poor,
A good heart maketh at all times a cheerful countenance.
5 Of three things my heart was afraid;
And concerning the fourth * kind I made supplication:
The slander of a city, and the assembly of a multitude, and a false accusation:
All these are more grievous than death.
6 A grief of heart and sorrow is a woman that is jealous of another woman,
And the scourge of a tongue communicating to all.
7 A wicked woman is as a yoke of oxen shaken to and fro:
He that taketh hold of her is as one that graspeth a scorpion.
8 A drunken woman causeth great wrath;
And she will not cover her own shame.
9 The whoredom of a woman is in the lifting up of her eyes;
And it shall be known by her eyelids.
10 Keep strict watch on a headstrong daughter,
Lest she find liberty for herself, and use it.
11 Look well after an impudent eye;
And marvel not if it trespass against thee.
12 She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller,
And drink of every water that is near:
At every post will she sit down,
And open her quiver against any arrow.
13 The grace of a wife will delight her husband;
And her knowledge will fatten his bones.
14 A silent woman is a gift of the Lord;
And there is nothing so much worth as a well-instructed soul.
15 A shamefast woman is grace upon grace;
And there is no † price worthy of a continent soul.
16 As the sun when it ariseth in the highest places of the Lord,
So is the beauty of a good wife in the ordering of ‡ a man’s house.
17 As the lamp that shineth upon the holy candlestick,
So is the beauty of the face in ripe age.
18 As the golden pillars are upon a base of silver,
So are beautiful feet with the breasts of one that is stedfast. 19-27 §
28 For two things my heart is grieved;
And for the third anger cometh upon me:
A man of war that suffereth for poverty;
And men of understanding that are counted as refuse:
One that turneth back from righteousness to sin;
The Lord shall prepare him for the sword.
29 A merchant shall hardly keep himself from wrong doing;
And a huckster shall not be acquitted of sin.
* 26:5 Gr. countenance. † 26:15 Gr. weight. ‡ 26:16 Gr. his. § 26:19-27 Verses 19-27 are omitted by the best authorities.