XXVI. aBlessed is the man that hath ca virtuous wife,

For the number of his days shall be double.

2  A bvirtuous woman rejoiceth her husband,

And he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace.

3  cA good wife is a good portion,

Which shall be given in the portion of them that fear the Lord.

4  Whether a man be rich or poor, if he have a good heart toward the Lord,

He shall at all times rejoice with a cheerful countenance.

5  There be dthree things that mine heart feareth;

And for the fourth I was sore afraid:

* The slander of a city, the gathering together of an unruly multitude,

And a false accusation: all these are worse than death.

6  But a grief of heart and sorrow is dda woman that is jealous over another woman,

And a scourge of the tongue which communicateth with all.

7  An evil wife is * a yoke shaken to and fro:

He that hath hold of her is as though he held ea scorpion.

8  A drunken woman and a fgadder abroad causeth great anger,

And she will not cover her own shame.

9  The whoredom of a woman may be known in her ghaughty looks and eyelids.

10  hIf thy daughter be ishameless, keep her in straitly,

Lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.

11  Watch over an impudent eye:

And marvel not if she trespass against thee.

12  She will open her mouth, as a thirsty traveller when he hath found a fountain,

And drink of every water near her:

By every * hedge will she sit down,

And open her quiver against every arrow.

13  The grace of a wife delighteth her husband,

And her discretion will jfat his bones.

14  A silent and loving woman is a gift of the Lord;

And there is nothing so much worth as a mind well instructed.

15  A shamefast and faithful woman is a double grace,

And her continent mind cannot be valued.

16  As the sun when it ariseth * in the high heaven;

So is the beauty of ca good wife in the * ordering of her house.

17  As the clear light is upon kthe holy candlestick;

So is the beauty of the face * in ripe age.

18  As the golden pillars are upon the sockets of silver;

So are the * fair feet with a constant * heart.

19  mMy son, keep the flower of thine lage sound;

And give not thy strength to strangers.

20  When thou hast gotten a fruitful possession through all the field,

Sow it with thine own seed, trusting in the goodness of thy stock.

21  So thy race which thou leavest shall be magnified,

Having the confidence of their good descent.

22  A harlot shall be accounted as * spittle;

But na married woman is a tower against death oto her husband.

23  A wicked woman is given as a portion to a wicked man:

But a godly woman is given to him that feareth the Lord.

24  A dishonest woman contemneth shame:

But an honest pwoman will reverence her husband.

25  A ishameless woman shall be counted as a dog;

But she that is shamefast will fear the Lord.

26  A woman that honoureth her husband shall be judged wise of all;

But she that dishonoureth him in her pride shall be counted ungodly of all.

27  A loud crying woman and a qscold

Shall be sought out to drive away the enemies.

28  There be dtwo things that grieve my heart;

And the third maketh me angry:

A man of war that suffereth poverty;

And rmen of understanding that are snot set by;

And tone that returneth from righteousness to sin;

uThe Lord prepareth such a one for the sword.

29  A wmerchant shall hardly keep himself from doing wrong;

And a huckster shall not be xfreed from sin.