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

PROVERBS 31:30KJV
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Proverbs 31:30 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 31:30 mean?

Proverbs 31:30 teaches that charm and physical beauty are unreliable and fleeting, but a woman who respects and honors the LORD is truly worthy of praise. The verse points to inner character and reverence for God as far more valuable than outward appearance or social favor.

This verse comes from the closing section of Proverbs, where a mother is advising her son (traditionally understood as King Lemuel) about the qualities of a virtuous woman. The verse contrasts what society often values—favor (social grace) and beauty—with what truly lasts and deserves recognition: a woman’s relationship with God and her moral character.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 31:30

  • חֵן (ḥēn, "favour"): This word means charm or gracefulness, often referring to a pleasing or likable personality. The verse calls this "deceitful" (שֶׁקֶר, sheqer), meaning it can mislead or is not always what it seems.
  • יָפִי (yāfī, "beauty"): This word points to physical attractiveness. The verse calls beauty "vain" (הֶבֶל, hevel), which means empty, fleeting, or lacking substance.
  • יָרֵא (yārē’, "feareth"): This word means to have reverence or deep respect, especially toward God. Here, it highlights that true worth is found in a woman who honors the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH).

Why Proverbs 31:30 matters

  • Proverbs 31:30 corrects the common tendency to judge worth by outward appearance or social charm, emphasizing that these are not lasting measures of value.
  • The verse highlights the central theme of Proverbs: the importance of "the fear of the LORD" as the foundation of wisdom and true honor.
  • In the context of Proverbs 31, this verse sums up the qualities of the "virtuous woman" by focusing on her spiritual character rather than her looks or popularity, connecting the whole passage to the book’s larger message about wisdom.

Where else these words appear

“beauty” Hebrew H3308 · used in 19 verses

  • Esther 1:11 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.
  • Lamentations 2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?
  • Ezekiel 27:11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.

“feareth” Hebrew H3373 · used in 63 verses

  • Genesis 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
  • Psalms 15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
  • Psalms 119:79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

“vain” Hebrew H1892 · used in 64 verses

  • Deuteronomy 32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
  • Ecclesiastes 7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

“Favour” Hebrew H2580 · used in 67 verses

  • Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
  • Numbers 11:11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
  • Esther 7:3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: