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Proverbs 31:10-31
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 31:10-31
New Catholic Bible
In Praise of the Valiant Woman or the Perfect Homemaker[a]
10 Who can find a worthy wife?
She is far more precious than pearls.
11 Her husband entrusts his heart to her,
for in her he has an unfailing blessing.
12 She works to give him good and not evil
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with skillful hands.
14 She is like merchant ships,
accumulating a store of food from far off.
15 She rises while it is still dark[b]
and apportions food for her household
while assigning tasks to her servant girls.
16 She carefully chooses a field to purchase,
and out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.[c]
17 She girds herself to work
and plies her arms with vigor.
18 She ensures that her dealings are profitable;[d]
her lamp remains undimmed throughout the night.
19 She sets her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers grasp the spindle.[e]
20 She holds out her hands to the poor[f]
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 When snow arrives, she has no fear for her household,
for all of her servants are warmly clothed.
22 She makes her own bed quilts
and wears fine clothes of linen[g] and purple.
23 Her husband is well respected at the city gates
as he takes his seat with the elders of the land.
24 She weaves linen garments and sells them,
and she supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she can afford to laugh at the days to come.[h]
26 When she opens her mouth, wisdom issues forth,
and on her tongue is kindly advice.[i]
27 She keeps close watch on the conduct of her household,
and she does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children stand up and proclaim her blessed,[j]
and her husband joins them in praising her:
29 “Many are the women who have done admirable things,[k]
but you outdo them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive[l] and beauty is fleeting,
but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her a share in what her hands have accomplished,[m]
and let her works bring her praise at the city gates.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 The entire family gathers together to heap praise on the mistress of the home. The husband, a considerate man, devotes himself to his public life. Without fear he can leave to his wife the care of directing the household, providing for domesticity, taking care of the marketing, the fields, and the vine. This golden woman joins to her practical qualities and her sense of work a discreet and communicative piety, the gift of education, the efficacious foresight for all, and attentiveness to the poor. These are natural (but nonetheless attractive) qualities for her. She deserves to be celebrated.
This short poem is better known under the title “Praise of a Strong Woman.” Each verse has two parallel members and begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; there are as many verses as there are letters in that alphabet. The passage has therefore been carefully and artfully composed; there is nothing improvised about it. But in the person of the virtuous woman it is ultimately Wisdom herself that is extolled. Wisdom, a profound force in a people, was presented to us at the beginning of the Book as a person who actively intervenes in the human world; the end of the Book harks back to the beginning. The picture drawn is meant to leave us with an attractive ideal of life. - Proverbs 31:15 She rises while it is still dark: in this respect, she is the exact opposite of the idler (see Prov 6:9-10; 20:13).
- Proverbs 31:16 She carefully chooses a field to purchase, and . . . she plants a vineyard: she shows good judgment.
- Proverbs 31:18 Her dealings are profitable: like wisdom, she is “far more precious than pearls” (v. 10; see Prov 3:15; 8:11). Her lamp remains undimmed: a lighted lamp in a family is a sign of prosperity and life; an unlighted lamp is a sign of calamity and death (see Prov 13:9 and note; 20:20; 24:20; 1 Sam 3:3; Job 18:5; 21:17).
- Proverbs 31:19 Distaff . . . spindle: she takes care of work that was assigned to women at the time.
- Proverbs 31:20 She holds out her hands to the poor: see Prov 14:21; 22:9; Job 31:16-20.
- Proverbs 31:22 Fine clothes of linen: a sign of nobility (see Prov 7:16; Gen 41:42). Purple: a sign of royalty (see Jdg 8:26; Song 3:10) or wealth (see Lk 16:19; Rev 18:16).
- Proverbs 31:25 She can afford to laugh at the days to come: i.e., she is without anxiety or worry (see Job 39:7).
- Proverbs 31:26 She dispenses wisdom and good advice (see Prov 1:8; 6:20).
- Proverbs 31:28 Blessed: the happy state of life in fellowship with God, revering him and obeying his laws (see Prov 3:13; 8:34; 28:20; 29:18; Pss 72:17; 94:12; 112:1; 119:1f; 128:1).
- Proverbs 31:29 Many . . . have done admirable things: see Isa 32:20.
- Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive: see Prov 5:3. Beauty is fleeting: see Job 14:2; 1 Pet 3:3-5. Who fears the Lord: see note on Prov 1:7.
- Proverbs 31:31 Share in what her hands have accomplished: see Prov 12:14. Bring her praise: because of her “humility and fear of the Lord” (Prov 22:4).
Proverbs 31:10-31
New International Version
Proverbs 31:10-31
New International Version
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.
11 Her husband(C) has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.(D)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.(E)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.(F)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders(G) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(H)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise(I) at the city gate.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
New International Version (NIV) 
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