Pro 31:10-31 | ESV | STEP | An excellent wife who can find ? She is far more precious than jewels .

Proverbs 31:10-31

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

10 ^{▼▼Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet} ^bAn excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than ^cjewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She ^dseeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She ^erises while it is yet night
and ^fprovides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She ^gdresses herself ^{▼▼Hebrew She girds her loins} with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She ⁱopens her hand to ^jthe poor
and reaches out her hands to ^kthe needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in ^lscarlet. ^{▼▼Or in double thickness}
22 She makes ⁿbed coverings for herself;
her clothing is ^ofine linen and ^ppurple.
23 Her husband is known in ^qthe gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes ^rlinen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 ^sStrength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to 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 ^twomen have done ^uexcellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 ^vCharm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.