Proverbs 31:10
New International Version
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

New Living Translation
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

English Standard Version
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

Berean Standard Bible
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

King James Bible
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

New King James Version
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.

New American Standard Bible
An excellent wife, who can find her? For her worth is far above jewels.

NASB 1995
An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.

NASB 1977
An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.

Legacy Standard Bible
An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above pearls.

Amplified Bible
An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls.

Christian Standard Bible
Who can find a wife of noble character? She is far more precious than jewels.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Who can find a capable wife? She is far more precious than jewels.

American Standard Version
A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Who finds a diligent woman? For she is precious beyond incomparable precious stones.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.

Contemporary English Version
A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.

English Revised Version
A virtuous woman who can find? for her price is far above rubies.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Who can find a wife with a strong character? She is worth far more than jewels.

Good News Translation
How hard it is to find a capable wife! She is worth far more than jewels!

International Standard Version
Who can find a capable wife? Her value far exceeds the finest jewels.

JPS Tanakh 1917
A woman of valour who can find? For her price is far above rubies.

Literal Standard Version
[ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.

Majority Standard Bible
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

New American Bible
Who can find a woman of worth? Far beyond jewels is her value.

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

New Revised Standard Version
A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

New Heart English Bible
Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above rubies.

Webster's Bible Translation
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

World English Bible
Who can find a worthy woman? For her value is far above rubies.

Young's Literal Translation
A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies is her price.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Virtues of a Noble Woman
10A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies. 11The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.…

Cross References
Ruth 3:11
And now do not be afraid, my daughter. I will do for you whatever you request, since all my fellow townspeople know that you are a woman of noble character.

1 Samuel 25:3
His name was Nabal, and his wife's name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

Job 28:18
Coral and quartz are unworthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.

Proverbs 8:11
For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.

Proverbs 12:4
A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.

Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.


Treasury of Scripture

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

can

Proverbs 12:4
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Proverbs 18:22
Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

Proverbs 19:14
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

her

Proverbs 3:15
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Proverbs 8:11
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

Proverbs 20:15
There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

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Proverbs 31
1. Lemuel's lesson of chastity and temperance
6. The afflicted are to be comforted and defended
10. The praise and properties of a good wife














APPENDIX (c).--THE PRAISE OF A GOOD WIFE. (Proverbs 31:10, sqq.)

This is written in the form of an acrostic, the twenty-two verses composing it each commencing with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This may have been done, as in the case of several of the psalms, which are of a didactic character (e.g., 25, 34, 37, 119), to render it more easy for committal to memory. By some writers the acrostic form has been supposed to argue a late date for the poem, but there is no evidence for this. One psalm, at all events, of which there seems no reason to doubt the Davidic authorship--the 9th--is cast in this form.

(10) Who can find a virtuous woman?--Various mystical interpretations of the person here implied have been held at different times. She has been supposed to signify the Law, the Church, the Holy Spirit.

Verses 10-31. - Part IX. THIRD APPENDIX TO THE SECOND COLLECTION. This section contains an ode in praise of the virtuous woman, derived from a different source from that of the words of Agur, and belonging to a different age (see Introduction). It is an acrostic; that is, each verse begins with one of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, arranged in the usual order. We may compare this mashal with the alphabetical psalms, "Psalmi abcedarii," which are, more or less, of similar structure, but of which one only, the hundred and nineteenth, is so marked in the English versions. Other examples are Psalm 9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 145; also Lamentations 1, 2, and 3. One object of this artificial construction was to render the matter easier to commit to memory. The spiritual expositors see in this description of the virtuous woman a prophetic representation of the Church of Christ in her truth and purity and influence. Thus Bode: "Hic sapientissimus regum Salomon laudes sanctae Ecclesiae versibus paucis sed plenissima veritate depingit.... Cujus (carminis) ordine perfectissimo alphabeti typice innuitur, quam plenissime hic vel animae cujusque fidelis, vel totius sanctae Ecclesiae, quae ex omnibus electis animabus una perficitur Catholica, virtutes ac praemia describantur." Verse 10. - ALEPH. Who can find a virtuous woman? The expression, ishshah chayil, "woman of force," has occurred in ch. 12:4 (where see note). Mulierem fortem, St. Jerome terms her; γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν is the rendering of the LXX., which places this section as the end of the whole Book of Proverbs. The expression combines the ideas of moral goodness and bodily vigour and activity. It is useless to try to fix the character upon any particular person. The representation is that of an ideal woman - the perfect housewife, the chaste helpmate of her husband, upright, God-fearing, economical, wise. See an anticipation of this character (Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 19:14); and a very different view (Ecclesiastes 7:26). It is very remarkable to meet with such a delineation of woman in the East, where the female generally occupies a most degraded position, and is cut off from all sphere of activity and administration. To paint such a portrait needed inspiration of some sort. Such a one is hard to find. Her price is far above rubies; or, pearls (see on Proverbs 20:15 and Proverbs 3:15). Septuagint, "Such a one is more valuable than precious stones." There may be allusion to the custom of giving treasure in exchange for a wife, purchasing her, as it were, from her friends (comp. Hosea 3:2). At any rate, few only are privileged to meet with this excellent wife, and her worth cannot be estimated by any material object, however costly. St. Jerome, with a slight difference in the reading, has, Procul, et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus. You may go to the ends of the earth to find her equal in value.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Who
מִ֣י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

can find
יִמְצָ֑א (yim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

a wife
אֵֽשֶׁת־ (’ê·šeṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

of noble character?
חַ֭יִל (ḥa·yil)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2428: A force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength

She is far
וְרָחֹ֖ק (wə·rā·ḥōq)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7350: Remote, of place, time, precious

more precious
מִכְרָֽהּ׃ (miḵ·rāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4377: Merchandise, value

than rubies.
מִפְּנִינִ֣ים (mip·pə·nî·nîm)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 6443: A pearl


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a worthy woman? (Prov. Pro Pr)
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