Proverbs 31

The Words of Lemuel

1The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him:

2O my son, O son of my womb, O son of my vows,

3Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which ruins kings.

4It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,

5lest they drink and forget what is decreed, and remove from all the poor their legal rights.

6Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitterly distressed;

7let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.

8Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying.

9Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Wife of Noble Character#sn The book of Proverbs comes to a close with this poem about the noble wife. A careful reading of the poem will show that it is extolling godly wisdom that is beneficial to the family and the society. Traditionally it has been interpreted as a paradigm for godly women. And while that is valid in part, there is much more here. The poem captures all the themes of wisdom that have been presented in the book and arranges them in this portrait of the ideal woman (Claudia V. Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs, 92-93). Any careful reading of the passage would have to conclude that if it were merely a paradigm for women what it portrays may well be out of reach – she is a wealthy aristocrat who runs an estate with servants and conducts business affairs of real estate, vineyards, and merchandising, and also takes care of domestic matters and is involved with charity. Moreover, it says nothing about the woman’s personal relationship with her husband, her intellectual and emotional strengths, or her religious activities (E. Jacob, “Sagesse et Alphabet: Pr. 31:10-31,” Hommages à A. Dont-Sommer, 287-95). In general, it appears that the “woman” of Proverbs 31 is a symbol of all that wisdom represents. The poem, then, plays an important part in the personification of wisdom so common in the ancient Near East. But rather than deify Wisdom as the other ANE cultures did, Proverbs simply describes wisdom as a woman. Several features will stand out in the study of this passage. First, it is an alphabetic arrangement of the virtues of wisdom (an acrostic poem). Such an acrostic was a way of organizing the thoughts and making them more memorable (M. H. Lichtenstein, “Chiasm and Symmetry in Proverbs 31,” CBQ 44 [1982]: 202-11). Second, the passage is similar to hymns, but this one extols wisdom. A comparison with Psalm 111 will illustrate the similarities. Third, the passage has similarities with heroic literature. The vocabulary and the expressions often sound more like an ode to a champion than to a domestic scene. Putting these features together, one would conclude that Proverbs 31:10-31 is a hymn to Lady Wisdom, written in the heroic mode. Using this arrangement allows the sage to make all the lessons of wisdom in the book concrete and practical, it provides a polemic against the culture that saw women as merely decorative, and it depicts the greater heroism as moral and domestic rather than only exploits on the battlefield. The poem certainly presents a pattern for women to follow. But it also presents a pattern for men to follow as well, for this is the message of the book of Proverbs in summary.

10Who can find a wife of noble character? For her value is far more than rubies.

11The heart of her husband has confidence in her, and he has no lack of gain.

12She brings him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13She obtains wool and flax, and she is pleased to work with her hands.

14She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.

15She also gets up while it is still night, and provides food for her household and a portion to her female servants.

16She considers a field and buys it; from her own income she plants a vineyard.

17She begins her work vigorously, and she strengthens her arms.

18She knows that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out in the night.

19Her hands take hold of the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.

20She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.

21She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed with scarlet.

22She makes for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23Her husband is well-known in the city gate when he sits with the elders of the land.

24She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25She is clothed with strength and honor, and she can laugh at the time to come.

26She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.

27She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also praises her:

29“Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!”

30Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.

31Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.