In Proverbs, who are the two women vying for the young man's attention?

• A. The Wise Woman and The Foolish Woman
• B. The Good Wife and The Bad Wife
• C. The Pure Virgin of Wisdom and The Vile Harlot of Foolishness
• D. The Righteous Woman and The Ungodly Woman

Answer: (C)

This question tests your grasp of how Proverbs uses female personifications to present two competing paths for a young man. Wisdom is portrayed as a virtuous woman inviting the student to follow understanding, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord. In contrast, Folly is depicted as a seductive, immoral woman who leads toward foolishness, danger, and ruin. The pair named as the Pure Virgin of Wisdom and the Vile Harlot of Foolishness directly mirrors this stark contrast the text draws between choosing wisdom and embracing folly. The other descriptions are less precise for this imagery, since they don’t capture the clear Wisdom vs. Folly dynamic Proverbs uses.