PROV 31:13 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 31:10–31: This poem describes a capable wife who has good character

In Hebrew, this section is arranged in the form of an acrostic poem. Each of its twenty-two verses begins with a different letter, following the normal order of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem praises the character and abilities of an ideal wife. After an introduction that describes her value (vv. 10–12), the poem describes her activities and achievements in various areas (vv. 13–27). It concludes with praise by her family (vv. 28–29) and all the people (vv. 30–31). The last two verses also serve as the poet’s final conclusion. They summarize what is truly important in an ideal wife.Waltke (page 515) says that the final two verses are praise “by all.” Murphy (page 245) agrees that the “praise” in the final two verses is the “goal or purpose of the poem.”

Some other headings for this section are:

A good wife with many abilities

Description of a Worthy Woman (NASB)

A truly good wife (CEV)

Paragraph 31:13–15

This paragraph describes what the wife does to provide for the needs of everyone in the house. She provides clothes (31:13) and food (31:14–15).UBS (page 655).

31:13

This verse summarizes the wife’s work in making clothes from wool and flax.

^13aShe selects wool and flax

^13band works with eager hands.

31:13a

She selects wool and flax

¶ She chooses wool and flax
She gets/buys what she needs to make clothes for the cold season and for the hot season.

She selects wool and flax: This line means that she chooses the raw materials that are used to make clothes. She probably buys them from the public market.Longman (page 543). According to Whybray (page 427), it is also possible that these materials are obtained from the family farm.

wool: The word wool refers to the hair of sheep. Women first spin the wool to make thread. The thread is then woven into woolen cloth to make warm clothes for cold weather.

flax: The word flax refers to a plant that resembles tall grass. Women spin fibers from this plant to make thread. The thread is then woven into linen cloth to make cool clothes for warm weather.UBS (page 655), Fox (page 893). Some other ways to translate this line are:

She obtains wool and flax (NET)

she selects the finest wool and flax for spinning (VOICE)

If people in your area are not familiar with wool and flax, you may use more general terms. For example:

She gets what she needs to make clothes for the cold season and for the hot season.Adapted from a translation example in UBS (page 655).

31:13a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ She works hard and likes to sew/make clothes from the wool and flax that she buys in the market.

31:13b

and works with eager hands.

and eagerly/gladly uses her hands to make the best kind of clothes for her household.
She does this work diligently and skillfully.

and works: The word works refers to the many steps that are involved in making clothes. It includes spinning the wool and flax into thread, weaving the thread into cloth, and sewing the cloth to make clothes. If possible, use a general word or phrase that summarizes these tasks.

with eager hands: This phrase is a figure of speech.NET footnote (b). It means that the woman works willingly, skillfully, diligently, and cheerfully.Whybray (page 427), Murphy (page 243), Hubbard (page 480). In some languages, it may be natural to specify that the woman does these tasks with her hands. In other languages, it may be more natural to leave this detail implied.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

and she is pleased to work with her hands (NET)

She enjoys making clothes and she works industriously and skillfully

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

דָּ֭רְשָׁה

seeks

The fact that she works in the next clause indicates that this woman finds what she searches for. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “She finds”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

צֶ֣מֶר

wool

The term wool refers to the hair of sheep, which was used to make warm clothing for winter. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of material, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “warm fabric” or “material to make into winter clothing”

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

וּ⁠פִשְׁתִּ֑ים

and,flax(es)

The term linens refers to a type of plant that was used to make cool clothing for summer. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of material, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “cool fabric” or “material to make into summer clothing”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ֝⁠תַּ֗עַשׂ

and,she_worked

Here, works refers to making clothing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and makes clothing”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

בְּ⁠חֵ֣פֶץ כַּפֶּֽי⁠הָ

in,the_delight_of her_hands_of,her

Here, Lemuel’s mother speaks of this woman feeling delight while she uses her palms to make clothing as if her palms were people who feel that delight. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “delightfully with her palms”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear PROV 31:13