Verses 30-31 are a conclusion to the poem. They sum up what the poet values in a wife.

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain”: “Charm” renders a Hebrew word that can mean “favor,” “grace,” or “elegance.” It occurs at 11.16 in the expression “a gracious woman” (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation); in this context, however, “Charm” is the appropriate term in English to refer to this quality of attractiveness in a woman. The term “deceitful” means that the “Charm” of the woman may mislead or trick people as to what she is really like. “Vain” is the Hebrew term hebel, which is a key term in the book of Ecclesiastes; its meaning there is something like “useless” (Good News Translation) or “meaningless” (New International Version). Here it is rendered as “fleeting” (New International Version, Revised English Bible), “disappears” (Good News Translation), “empty” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “fades away” (Contemporary English Version).

In some languages it is not possible to speak of qualities apart from the people who display them, as the Hebrew does here. If this is the case, it will be necessary to have a subject such as “woman” for this line. Two examples of how this may be done are: “A woman can talk sweetly to us, but her behavior may be different. And even if a woman looks very nice, she can’t stay that way for ever.” Or: “The nice behavior of a woman can easily trick a man [or, person], and a nice face does not last forever.”

“But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised”: “But” (along with the emphatic “she” in the last part of the line) emphasizes the contrast between the woman described here and those who are merely charming or beautiful. In some translations this contrast is expressed by saying “It is better for us to praise. . ..” As in other contexts, the expression “fears the Lord” does not mean “be afraid of the Lord” so much as “honors the Lord” (Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation) or “reverences the Lord” (Scott). The last part of the line says literally “she [emphatic] is praised”; the emphasis is brought out in New Jerusalem Bible “is the one to praise” and Scott “is the one deserving praise.” In some languages “praised” must be expressed as “all people should lift up her name” or “we [inclusive] should honor her.”

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 .