The Meaning of Proverbs 31:27 Explained

Proverbs 31:27

KJV: She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

YLT: She is watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.

Darby: She surveyeth the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

ASV: She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

She looketh well  to the ways  of her household,  and eateth  not the bread  of idleness. 

What does Proverbs 31:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 31:10-31 - "her Works Praise Her"
The ideal woman, as portrayed here, is a wife. She is the stay and confidence of her husband. Not only when she comes as a young bride into his home, in the glory and beauty of her youth, nor only when her womanly beauty holds his admiration, but long after and to the end of life she does him good. She is always busy. She is thrifty in administering his earnings. If he brings the money to her, she expends it economically for their common weal. When a friend of mine was sixty, his wife came to him with an annuity which she had purchased for them both, by her wise administration of the money entrusted to her through forty years of married life.
It is in the home-place that the man's strength is gathered for public life. The woman in the home communicates the inspiration and strength which make him "known in the gates." Her secret, unobtrusive loyalty, counsel, and thrift inspire a growing depth of appreciation; so that the man who chose her in the spring will say of her amid the snows of age, "Other women may be good and true, but "˜thou excellest them all.'" [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 31

1  Lemuel's lesson of chastity and temperance
6  The afflicted are to be comforted and defended
10  The praise and properties of a good wife

What do the individual words in Proverbs 31:27 mean?

She watches over the ways of her household and the bread of idleness not does eat
צ֭וֹפִיָּה הֲלִיכ֣וֹת בֵּיתָ֑הּ וְלֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל

צ֭וֹפִיָּה  She  watches 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: צָפָה  
Sense: to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch.
הֲלִיכ֣וֹת  over  the  ways 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: הֲלִיכָה  
Sense: going, doing, travelling company, way.
בֵּיתָ֑הּ  of  her  household 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְלֶ֥חֶם  and  the  bread 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
עַ֝צְל֗וּת  of  idleness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עַצְלוּת  
Sense: sluggishness, laziness.
תֹאכֵֽל  does  eat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.