A capable wife[a] is her husband’s crown,(A)
but a wife who causes shame
is like rottenness in his bones.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:4 Or A wife of quality, or A wife of good character

A wife of noble character(A) is her husband’s crown,
    but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.(B)

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In Praise of a Capable Wife

10 Who can find a capable wife?[a](A)
She is far more precious than jewels.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Or a wife of quality, or a wife of noble character
  2. Proverbs 31:10 Vv. 10-31 form an acrostic.

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [a]A wife of noble character(A) who can find?(B)
    She is worth far more than rubies.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

There are 60 queens
and 80 concubines(A)
and young women[a] without number.
But my dove,(B) my virtuous one, is unique;(C)
she is the favorite of her mother,
perfect to the one who gave her birth.
Women see her and declare her fortunate;(D)
queens and concubines also, and they sing her praises:

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Footnotes

  1. Song of Solomon 6:8 Or and virgins; Sg 1:3

Sixty queens(A) there may be,
    and eighty concubines,(B)
    and virgins beyond number;
but my dove,(C) my perfect one,(D) is unique,
    the only daughter of her mother,
    the favorite of the one who bore her.(E)
The young women saw her and called her blessed;
    the queens and concubines praised her.

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