Proverbs 31:10–27

A Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰ Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

She is more precious than rubies.

¹¹Her husband can trust her,

and she will greatly enrich his life.

¹²She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

¹³She finds wool and flax

and busily spins it.

¹⁴She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

¹⁶She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She is energetic and strong,

a hard worker.

¹⁸She makes sure her dealings are profitable;

her lamp burns late into the night.

¹⁹Her hands are busy spinning thread,

her fingers twisting fiber.

²⁰She extends a helping hand to the poor

and opens her arms to the needy.

²¹She has no fear of winter for her household,

for everyone has warm clothes.

²²She makes her own bedspreads.

She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

²³Her husband is well known at the city gates,

where he sits with the other civic leaders.

²⁴She makes belted linen garments

and sashes to sell to the merchants.

²⁵She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.

²⁶When she speaks, her words are wise,

and she gives instructions with kindness.

²⁷She carefully watches everything in her household

and suffers nothing from laziness.