Proverbs 12:4
New International Version
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

New Living Translation
A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones.

English Standard Version
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Berean Standard Bible
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

King James Bible
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

New King James Version
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

New American Standard Bible
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.

NASB 1995
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones.

NASB 1977
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.

Legacy Standard Bible
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Amplified Bible
A virtuous and excellent wife [worthy of honor] is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him [with her foolishness] is like rottenness in his bones.

Christian Standard Bible
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a wife who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A capable wife is her husband’s crown, but a wife who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.

American Standard Version
A worthy woman is the crown of her husband; But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A valiant wife is the crown of her husband, and as a boring worm, and a worm in wood, the woman that does evil things destroys a husband.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but as a worm in wood, so a bad woman destroys her husband.

Contemporary English Version
A helpful wife is a jewel for her husband, but a shameless wife will make his bones rot.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A diligent woman is a crown to her husband: and she that doth things worthy of confusion, is a rottenness in his bones.

English Revised Version
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A wife with strength of character is the crown of her husband, but the wife who disgraces him is like bone cancer.

Good News Translation
A good wife is her husband's pride and joy; but a wife who brings shame on her husband is like a cancer in his bones.

International Standard Version
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, but a wife who puts him to shame is like bone cancer.

JPS Tanakh 1917
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; But she that doeth shamefully is as rottenness in his bones.

Literal Standard Version
A virtuous woman [is] a crown to her husband, | And as rottenness in his bones [is] one causing shame.

Majority Standard Bible
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

New American Bible
A woman of worth is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful one is like rot in his bones.

NET Bible
A noble wife is the crown of her husband, but the wife who acts shamefully is like rottenness in his bones.

New Revised Standard Version
A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

New Heart English Bible
A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

Webster's Bible Translation
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

World English Bible
A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but a disgraceful wife is as rottenness in his bones.

Young's Literal Translation
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, And as rottenness in his bones is one causing shame.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Loving Discipline and Knowledge
3A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted. 4A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones. 5The plans of the righteous are just, but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 11:7
A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

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.

Proverbs 12:5
The plans of the righteous are just, but the counsel of the wicked leads to deceit.

Proverbs 14:30
A tranquil heart is life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

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

Proverbs 31:10
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

Proverbs 31:11
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he lacks nothing of value.


Treasury of Scripture

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

virtuous

Proverbs 14:1
Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Proverbs 19:13,14
A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping…

Proverbs 31:10-25
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies…

she

Proverbs 21:9,19
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house…

Proverbs 27:15,16
A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike…

as

Proverbs 14:30
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Habakkuk 3:16
When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

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Ashamed Behaviour Bones Cause Causing Character Crown Decay Disease Disgraceful Excellent Good Husband Husband's Maketh Noble Rottenness Shame Shamefully Shames Virtue Virtuous Wasting Wife Worthy
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Ashamed Behaviour Bones Cause Causing Character Crown Decay Disease Disgraceful Excellent Good Husband Husband's Maketh Noble Rottenness Shame Shamefully Shames Virtue Virtuous Wasting Wife Worthy
Proverbs 12
1. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge














(4) A virtuous woman.--Literally, of power, i.e., of ability and character, like the wife described in Proverbs 31, or the "able" men of Exodus 18:21.

Verse 4. - A virtuous woman; one whose portrait is beautifully traced in ch. 31. The term is applied to Ruth (Ruth 3:11). The Vulgate renders, diligens; Septuagint, ἀνδρεία. The expression means one of power either in mind or body, or both. The same idea is contained in ἀρετὴ and virtus. Such a woman is not simply loving and modest and loyal, but is a crown to her husband; is an honour to him, adorns and beautifies his life, making, as it were, a joyous festival. So St. Paul (1 Thessalonians 2:19) calls his converts "a crown of glorying." The allusion is to the crown worn by the bridegroom at his marriage, or to the garlands worn at feasts (comp. Song of Solomon 3:11; Isaiah 61:10; Wisd. 2:8). The Son of Sirach has much praise for the virtuous woman: "Blessed is the man that hath a good (ἀγαθῆς) wife, for the number of his days shall be double. A virtuous (ἀνδρεία) woman rejoiceth her husband, and he shall fulfil the years of his life in peace" (Ecclus. 26:1, 2). She that maketh ashamed; "that doeth shamefully" (Proverbs 10:5; Proverbs 19:26); one who is a terrible contrast to the woman of strong character - weak, indolent, immodest, wasteful. Is as rottenness in his bones (Proverbs 14:30; Habakkuk 3:16). Such a wife poisons her husband's life, deprives him of strength and vigour; though she is made "bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh" (Genesis 2:23), far from being a helpmate for him, she saps his very existence. Septuagint, "As a worm in a tree, so an evil woman destroyeth a man." Here again Siracides has much to say, "A wicked woman abateth the courage, maketh an heavy countenance and a wounded heart: a woman that will not comfort her husband in distress maketh weak hands and feeble knees" (Ecclus. 25:23). Thus runs a Spanish maxim (Kelly, 'Proverbs of All Nations') -

"Him that has a good wife no evil in life
that may not be borne can befall;
Him that has a bad wife no good thing in life
that chance to, that good you may call."


Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
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

is her husband’s
בַּעְלָ֑הּ (ba‘·lāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1167: A master, a husband, owner

crown,
עֲטֶ֣רֶת (‘ă·ṭe·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5850: A crown, wreath

but she who causes shame
מְבִישָֽׁה׃ (mə·ḇî·šāh)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 954: To pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, delayed

is like decay
וּכְרָקָ֖ב (ū·ḵə·rā·qāḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7538: Rottenness, decay

in his bones.
בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו (bə·‘aṣ·mō·w·ṯāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 12:4 A worthy woman is the crown (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 12:3
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