La poème de la femme vertueuse (Pr 31,10-31) : un épilogue herméneutique

Abstract

The aim of the present article is to study the acrostic poem dedicated to the virtuous wife of Prov 31:10-31 in its literary context. This context which is none but the whole book of Proverbs is not without opening a comparative horizon with the Greek sources especially the apologue known as “Herakles at the crossroads.” The comparative analysis will enable us, on the one hand, to justify the choice made to translate אשת חיל, éšèt-ḥayil, by virtuous woman and, on the other hand, to read the poem as hermeneutic key for the last edition of the book of Proverbs in its historical context.

Keywords

• Prov 31:10-31
• virtuous woman
• wisdom
• Xenophon
• Herakles at the crossroads