Proverbs 31 is the 31st and final chapter of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Verses 1 to 9 present the advice which King Lemuel's mother gave to him, about how a just king should reign. The remaining verses detail the attributes of a good wife or an ideal woman (verses 10–31). The latter section is also known as Eshet Ḥayil.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[1] [2] of Proverbs 31 with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The words of king Lemuel; the burden wherewith his mother corrected him. | ||
| 2 | What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows? | ||
| 3 | Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings. | ||
| 4 | It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine: Nor for princes to say: ‘Where is strong drink?’ | ||
| 5 | Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, And pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted. | ||
| 6 | Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto the bitter in soul; | ||
| 7 | Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. | ||
| 8 | Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. | ||
| 9 | Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. | ||
| 10 | A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies. | ||
| 11 | The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, and he hath no lack of gain. | ||
| 12 | She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life. | ||
| 13 | She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. | ||
| 14 | She is like the merchant-ships; she bringeth her food from afar. | ||
| 15 | She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth food to her household, and a portion to her maidens. | ||
| 16 | She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. | ||
| 17 | She girdeth her loins with strength, And maketh strong her arms. | ||
| 18 | She perceiveth that her merchandise is good; Her lamp goeth not out by night. | ||
| 19 | She layeth her hands to the distaff, And her hands hold the spindle. | ||
| 20 | She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. | ||
| 21 | She is not afraid of the snow for her household; For all her household are clothed with scarlet. | ||
| 22 | She maketh for herself coverlets; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. | ||
| 23 | Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land. | ||
| 24 | She maketh linen garments and selleth them; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. | ||
| 25 | Strength and dignity are her clothing; And she laugheth at the time to come. | ||
| 26 | She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue. | ||
| 27 | She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. | ||
| 28 | Her children rise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her: | ||
| 29 | ’Many daughters have done valiantly, But thou excellest them all.’ | ||
| 30 | Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. | ||
| 31 | Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her works praise her in the gates. |
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;
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See also: Lemuel (biblical king). In this part, an unnamed queen-mother gives instruction to her son, King Lemuel, on his duty to administer justice. Using the appeal to his filial respect to a mother and his birth as an answer of a prayer (verse 2, cf. 1:11 KJV), the mother warns the king against sexual promiscuity and drunkenness (verses 3–7). The eighth and ninth verses are an appeal against inequality and injustice.[3] [4]
Verses 10–31 of this chapter, also called Eshet Ḥayil (אשת חיל, woman of valor), form a poem in praise of the good wife, a definition of a perfect wife or "ideal woman" in the nation of Israel, who is 'an industrious housewife, a shrewd businesswoman, an enterprising trader, a generous benefactor (verse 20) and a wise teacher (verse 26). This "Woman of Valor" has been described as the personification of wisdom, or in some sense as a description of a particular class of women in Israel, Persia, or in Hellenistic society.[5] Some see this as a praise directed from the husband to his wife.
It is one of the thirteen alphabetical acrostic poems in the Bible, where each line begins with a successive letter in the Hebrew alphabet. The word חיל (Ḥayil) appears in verses 10 and 29 of the passage, thought as the summary of the good woman's character. Traditionally it has been translated as "virtuous" or "noble". Some scholars have suggested that it rather means "forceful", "mighty", or "valiant", because this word is almost exclusively used in the Tanakh with reference to warfare.[6]
Aberdeen theologian Kenneth Aitken notes that in view of the warnings against women portrayed as dangerous or adulterous in chapters 1 to 9, it is "fitting" that the book ends by "directing the attention of prospective bridegrooms to the ideal wife".
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.[7] The key to the woman's industry, acumen, kindness and wisdom lies in her "fear of the ".
This chapter is recited on Friday night before Shabbat dinner in some Jewish homes.
The chapter has been emphasized within the biblical womanhood movement, and a number of books have been published on the "Proverbs 31 woman".[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] This emphasis has been subject to criticism in Christian articles.[13] [14]