Hymn to a Good Wife

I read this passage this morning, and it was so thought-provoking and inspiring. I think I want to write it out in a beautiful script, create a lovely poster out of it, and hang it on my bedroom wall to remind me of what kind of woman I want to be.

I fall short of this mark in so many ways. Up before dawn preparing breakfast? Rarely before dawn! And when I do get up, I'm not preparing breakfast! Checking e-mail, maybe. Organizing my day? If you count trying to figure out which rooms really need to be cleaned and which ones can wait until later. Or grabbing an old envelope and jotting down my grocery list: Life Cereal, tortilla chips, flea shampoo.

And then there are things in this passage that encourage me, give me permission to be who I am and what I want to be. Gardening, for example, is not just a hobby; it's a loving provision for my darlings. Knitting and sewing are not idle hobbies; they are admirable tasks that provide warmth for my family, not just for their ears, but for their spirits as well.

I think my favorite part of this paraphrase of the verse is "Her husband trusts her without reserve and never has reason to regret it." For me, it dispells the common implication that the husband is the only one who's allowed to have brains in a Christian household; a wife can actually be trusted to make a decision on her own and her husband never has any reason to be sorry that he has a wife who can actually think!

There were so many things about this passage that spoke to me. I hope, after you make breakfast, organize your day, buy a field and plant a garden*, that you can Take the time and allow them to speak to you, too.

*Remember, this is the work of a lifetime, not the work of one day!


Proverbs 31: Hymn to a Good Wife

A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve,

and never has reason to regret it.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously

all her life long.

She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,

and enjoys knitting and sewing.

She's like a trading ship that sails to faraway places

and brings back exotic surprises.

She's up before dawn, preparing breakfast

for her family and organizing her day.

She looks over a field and buys it,

then, with money she's put aside, plants a garden.

First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,

rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.

She senses the worth of her work,

is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.

She's skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,

diligent in homemaking.

She's quick to assist anyone in need,

reaches out to help the poor.

She doesn't worry about her family when it snows;

their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.

She makes her own clothing,

and dresses in colorful linens and silks.

Her husband is greatly respected

when he deliberates with the city fathers.

She designs gowns and sells them,

brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.

Her clothes are well-made and elegant,

and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,

and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,

and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her;

her husband joins in with words of praise:

"Many women have done wonderful things,

but you've outclassed them all!"

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

The woman to be admired and praised

is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-GOD.

Give her everything she deserves!

Festoon her life with praises!


Art by Carl Larsson, Mary Cassatt and Tasha Tudor. The artist of the top drawing of the woman knitting is a mystery to me! If you know, please tell me.