Proverbs 31 · Verse 30

Proverbs 31:30

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Proverbs 31:30, King James Version

Proverbs 31:30 in other translations

BSBCharm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
WEBCharm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
ASVGrace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
YLTThe grace is false, and the beauty is vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.
DARBYGracefulness is deceitful and beauty is vain; a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.
BBEFair looks are a deceit, and a beautiful form is of no value; but a woman who has the fear of the Lord is to be praised.
WebsterFavor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

What does Proverbs 31:30 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Proverbs 31:10-31

10-31. This exquisite picture of a truly lovely wife is conceived and drawn in accordance with the customs of Eastern nations, but its moral teachings suit all climes. In Hebrew the verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order (compare Introduction to Poetical Books). Who ... woman--The question implies that such are rare, though not entirely wanting (compare Pr 18:22; 19:14). virtuous--literally…

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Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 30 Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, etc. - III. Here is the summing up of the character. 1. Favour, חן chen, grace of manner may be deceitful, many a fair appearance of this kind is put on, assumed for certain secular or more unworthy purposes; it is learned by painful drilling in polished seminaries, and, being the effect of mere physical discipline, it continues while the restraint lasts; but it is שקר sheker, a lie, a mere semblance, an outward varnish. It is not the effect of internal moral regulation; it is an outside, at which the inside murmurs; and which, because not ingenuous, is a burden to itself. 2. Beauty, היפי haiyophi, elegance of shape, symmetry of features, dignity of mien, and beauty of countenance, are all הבל hebel, vanity; sickness impairs them, suffering deranges them, and death destroys them. 3. "But a woman that feareth the Lord," that possesses true religion, has that grace that harmonizes the soul, that purifies and refines all the tempers and passions, and that ornament of beauty, a meek and quiet mind, which in the sight of God is of great price: - She shall be praised - This is the lasting grace, the unfading beauty.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Proverbs 31:10-31

This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing that he rule over her. 1. She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes it her constant business to do him good. 2. She is one…

Read the full comment on Proverbs 31:10-31 →

Proverbs 31:30 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שֶׁ֣קֶרShe.ker[is] deceptionH8267
הַ֭חֵןHa.chen<the> graceH2580
וְהֶ֣בֶלve.He.veland [is] vanityH1892
הַיֹּ֑פִיhai.Yo.fi<the> beautyH3308
אִשָּׁ֥ה'i.Shaha womanH802
יִרְאַת\־yir.'at-fearingH3373
יְ֝הוָ֗הYah.weh<of> YahwehH3068
הִ֣יאhi'sheH1931
תִתְהַלָּֽל\׃tit.ha.Lalshe will be praisedH1984

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Proverbs 31:30

  • Proverbs 1:7

    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

  • 1 Peter 3:4-5

    But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

  • Proverbs 11:22

    As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

  • Proverbs 8:13

    The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

  • 1 Peter 1:24

    For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

  • Esther 1:11-12

    To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5

    Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

  • Psalms 147:11

    The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

  • 1 Peter 1:7

    That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

  • Proverbs 6:25

    Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

  • Luke 1:6

    And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

  • Luke 1:46-50

    And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Favour.
6:25; 11:22; 2Sa 14:25; Es 1:11,12; Eze 16:15; Jas 1:11; 1Pe 1:24
a woman.
1:7; 8:13; Ex 1:17-21; Ps 147:11; Lu 1:6,46-50; 1Pe 3:4,5
she.
Ec 7:18; 12:13; Ro 2:29; 1Co 4:5; 1Pe 1:7; 3:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Proverbs 31:29

    Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

  • Proverbs 31:30

    Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

  • Proverbs 31:31

    Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Read all of Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31:30 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Engañosa es la gracia, y vana la hermosura: la mujer que teme á Jehová, ésa será alabada.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La grâce est trompeuse, et la beauté est vanité; la femme qui craint l’ Éternel, c’est elle qui sera louée.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Anmut ist Trug, und die Schönheit Eitelkeit; ein Weib, das Jehova fürchtet, sie wird gepriesen werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Fallax gratia, et vana est pulchritudo: mulier timens Dominum, ipsa laudabitur.