1 *The wisest of women *builds her house,

but folly with her own hands *tears it down.

10 *The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and *the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

33 *The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and *humility comes before honor.

5 *If any of you lacks wisdom, *let him ask God, *who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

11 *Seek the Lord and his strength;

seek his presence continually!

10 **An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than *jewels.

25 *Strength 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.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 "Many *women have done *excellently,

but you surpass them all."

30 *Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

4 *An excellent wife is *the crown of her husband,

but she who *brings shame is like *rottenness in his bones.

16 *A gracious woman gets honor,

and *violent men get riches.

14 *House and wealth are inherited from fathers,

but a prudent wife is *from the Lord.

3 *Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, *not slanderers *or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, *pure, *working at home, kind, and *submissive to their own husbands, *that the word of God may not be reviled.

11 *Their wives likewise* must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, *faithful in all things.

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like *ten virgins who took their lamps*and went to meet *the bridegroom.*2 Five of them were foolish, and five were *wise.3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.5 As the bridegroom *was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.6 But *at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’7 Then all those virgins rose and *trimmed their lamps.8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and *those who were ready went in with him to *the marriage feast, and *the door was shut.11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, *‘Lord, lord, open to us.’12 *But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, *I do not know you.’13 *Watch therefore, for you *know neither the day nor the hour.