“A good wife is the crown of her husband”: The Hebrew term translated “good” refers principally to strength or power. It is used in 31.10-31. The activities of the “good wife” there show her to be trustworthy, competent, and industrious. See also Ruth 3.11 where “woman of worth” is used. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch calls her “capable,” Bible en français courant “courageous,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “exemplary,” and Contemporary English Version “helpful.” “The crown”, the object worn on the head of a king or queen, is a symbol of authority, status, or honor.

Translations differ in the way they understand the “good wife” to be a “crown”. Some take it to mean that she gives honor to her husband. For example, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “The exemplary wife makes her husband a king” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “The capable wife brings the highest honor to her husband.” In Good News Translation, on the other hand, the woman is honored by her husband: “. . . is her husband’s pride and joy.” Both approaches are suitable; however, the first understanding seems more appropriate when the sense of the contrasting second line is considered. In some languages it may be necessary to say, for example, “A husband who has a capable wife is respected by others” or “People respect a man whose wife is industrious.”

“But she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones”: “Brings shame” contrasts with the honor and respect given to the “husband” in line 1. For “brings shame” refer to 10.5. The sense is the opposite of honor and so the meaning is “dishonor” or “disgrace.” The thought in line 2 is that the opposite kind of wife brings shame on her husband; as one translation says, “But if a wife does all kinds of bad things and her husband is ashamed. . ..” The wife in line 2 is compared to “rottenness in his [her husband’s] bones”. This figure suggests a disease that weakens the body and leads to death. Contemporary English Version says “but a shameless wife will make his bones rot.” Note Good News Translation “. . . is like cancer in his bones.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy offers a nonfigurative rendering: “but a bad wife destroys him completely.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .