The Meaning of Proverbs 12:4 Explained

Proverbs 12:4

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

YLT: A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband, And as rottenness in his bones is one causing shame.

Darby: A woman of worth is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

ASV: A worthy woman is the crown of her husband; But she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Proverbs 12:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 12

1  Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge

What do the individual words in Proverbs 12:4 mean?

An wife [is] excellent the crown of her husband but like rottenness in his bones she who causes shame [is]
אֵֽשֶׁת־ חַ֭יִל עֲטֶ֣רֶת בַּעְלָ֑הּ וּכְרָקָ֖ב בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו מְבִישָֽׁה

אֵֽשֶׁת־  An  wife  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
חַ֭יִל  excellent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
עֲטֶ֣רֶת  the  crown 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲטָרָה  
Sense: crown, wreath.
בַּעְלָ֑הּ  of  her  husband 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּעַל 
Sense: owner, husband, lord.
וּכְרָקָ֖ב  but  like  rottenness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקָב 
Sense: rottenness, decay (always fig).
בְּעַצְמוֹתָ֣יו  in  his  bones 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.
מְבִישָֽׁה  she  who  causes  shame  [is] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.