1A man who is married

to a good woman

is happy, and he will live

twice as long.

2If a wife has courage,

her husband will find happiness

and live a peaceful life.

3A good wife is the best gift

given by the Lord

to those men who fear him,

4and whether such a man

is rich or poor,

the smile on his face

comes from a happy heart.

5I am always extra careful

when I hear ugly gossip

being repeated in the city,

or when a mob comes together,

or when the innocent

are falsely accused.

I would rather die than be part

of those three things.

But a fourth is even worse:

6to have two wives,

with one of them being jealous

of the other.

She can only bring heartache

and sorrow,

as her words cut the family

to pieces.

7To marry an evil woman

is to hold a scorpion

in your hand,

or to wear an ox-yoke

that rubs your shoulders raw.

8When a wife gets drunk

she can be unfaithful,

and then her husband's anger

will explode.

9You know a wife is unfaithful

if her eyes have a look

of invitation.

* 10If your daughter is rebellious

and wants her own way,

watch her closely

11and don't be surprised

if she sins against you

the first chance she gets.

12She will try to have sex

with every man she sees,

just as thirsty travelers

will drink any water

they can find.

13A gracious wife is pleasing

to her husband,

and her cooking skills

keep him fat.

14Her silence is a gift

from the Lord,

and her self-control

is without price.

15Her modesty is the crown

on all her graces;

her faithfulness to her husband

has value beyond measure.

16She has organized her home,

and her beauty there

is like the sun as it rises

in the Lord's heaven.

17A lovely face on a good figure

shines like the lamps

on the sacred lampstand,

18and shapely legs with firm feet

are like golden columns

resting on silver bases.

19Students, when you come of age,

stay away from immoral women

and stay healthy.

20To find a good wife

is to find a good field

where you can plant

your own seed,

knowing that it will produce

a good harvest.

21And as your children grow,

they will have confidence

in your family line

and will become successful.

22A prostitute is worth

less than spit,

and affairs with married women

are deadly.

23Reject God's Law,

and he will give you

a godless wife.

But if you fear the Lord,

your wife will be

faithful to him.

24A shameless wife is vulgar

in public,

but a good woman is modest,

even alone with her husband.

25If a wife does what she pleases,

she is no better than a dog,

but if she is ashamed

to do wrong,

she will fear the Lord.

26Everyone can tell

that a wife is wise

if she honors her husband,

but if she is proud and refuses,

they will see she is ungodly.

Yes, a man who is married

to a good woman

is happy, and he will live

twice as long.

27But the constant talking

of a loud wife

is a trumpet signal

for a battle to begin,

and her family will live

in the chaos of war.

Doing Right

28It makes me terribly sad

when the rich become poor

or the wise are insulted.

But I get angry

if those who do right

start doing wrong.

The Lord will punish them

with a violent death.

29It is almost impossible

to succeed in business

and still be honest.