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

Proverbs 12:4.

Crown to her husband.

The Hebrew phrase used here, referring to an excellent wife or a woman of character, is used to describe Ruth (Ruth 3:11), who fits many of the characteristics of the ideal wife described in this section. She was hard-working and took initiative, and she was praised in the gates (Ruth 4:11). Charm is deceit and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30.

Woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised. More than her charm or beauty, the excellent wife is characterized by her fear of Yahweh. This pious attitude of obedience toward God is closely related to wisdom in Proverbs.