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Proverbs 31:18-20
New Catholic Bible
Proverbs 31:18-20
New Catholic Bible
18 She ensures that her dealings are profitable;[a]
her lamp remains undimmed throughout the night.
19 She sets her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers grasp the spindle.[b]
20 She holds out her hands to the poor[c]
and opens her arms to the needy.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 31:18 Her dealings are profitable: like wisdom, she is “far more precious than pearls” (v. 10; see Prov 3:15; 8:11). Her lamp remains undimmed: a lighted lamp in a family is a sign of prosperity and life; an unlighted lamp is a sign of calamity and death (see Prov 13:9 and note; 20:20; 24:20; 1 Sam 3:3; Job 18:5; 21:17).
- Proverbs 31:19 Distaff . . . spindle: she takes care of work that was assigned to women at the time.
- Proverbs 31:20 She holds out her hands to the poor: see Prov 14:21; 22:9; Job 31:16-20.