Bible Strands
Proverbs 31:18
She sees that her gain is good, and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The poet addresses the reader while describing the wife of noble character in Proverbs 31, positioned between her physical preparation in verse 17 and her textile work in verse 19.
The words — The text employs טָ֭עֲמָה (Ta.'amah), meaning she perceives, and יִכְבֶּ֖ה (yikh.Beh), meaning it is extinguished, to record her assessment of her profit and the status of her lamp.
The thread — This combination of night labor and unextinguished light recurs in Genesis 31:40 regarding Jacob’s sleepless vigilance, Matthew 25:3 concerning the readiness of lamps, and 1 Thessalonians 2:9 on working night and day to avoid becoming a burden.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to acknowledge the practical outcome of sustained diligence and apply that same steady, unromanticized watchfulness to their own work.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
Cross-references
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9 Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
- Matthew 25:3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil.
- Genesis 31:40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
- Psalms 127:2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not undisciplined among you,