PROV 31:27 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. צוֹפִיָּה
2. 398756
3. she is watching over
4. -
5. 6822
6. V-Vqrfsa
7. [she_is]_watching_over
8. S
9. Y-700
10. 278346
1. הֲלִיכוֹת
2. 398757
3. the goings of
4. goings
5. 1979
6. O-Ncfpc
7. the_goings_of
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278347
1. בֵּיתָ,הּ
2. 398758,398759
3. her household of her
4. her household
6. O-Ncmsc,Sp3fs
7. her_household_of,her
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278348
1. וְ,לֶחֶם
2. 398760,398761
3. and +the bread of
4. -
5. 3899
6. SO-C,Ncbsc
7. and_[the],bread_of
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278349
1. עַצְלוּת
2. 398762
3. laziness
4. laziness
5. 6104
6. O-Ncfsa
7. laziness
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278350
1. לֹא
2. 398763
3. not
4. -
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278351
1. תֹאכֵל
2. 398764
3. she eats
4. -
5. 398
6. V-Vqi3fs
7. she_eats
8. -
9. Y-700
10. 278352
2. 398765
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 278353

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 31:25–27

This paragraph further describes the wife in terms of her character, reputation, and attitude (v. 25). It then describes the way she talks (v. 26) and the way she cares for her household (v. 27).

31:27

^27aShe watches over the affairs of her household

^27band does not eat the bread of idleness.

31:27a

She watches over the affairs of her household

She supervises everything that happens in her home,
She pays careful attention to the needs and activities of everyone in her household.

She watches over the affairs of her household: This line means that she carefully supervises everything that happens in her home. She makes sure that everyone’s needs are met and that all the work is done in an orderly and satisfactory way. Some other ways to translate this line are:

She oversees the activities of her household (NJPS)

She keeps good watch on the conduct of her household (NJB)

31:27a–b

(combined/reordered)

She works hard all the time to supervise and take care of everyone in her home.

31:27b

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

and she never wastes her time.
She is definitely not lazy.

and does not eat the bread of idleness: This phrase is an idiom. It means that she is not idle or lazy. Some other ways to translate this line are:

and is never lazy (CEV)

and never wastes her time (NCV)

She never just sits and does nothing.

General Comment on 31:27a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder these two lines. For example:

She is always busy and looks after her family’s needs. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

הֲלִיכ֣וֹת בֵּיתָ֑⁠הּ

ways_of (Some words not found in UHB: looks ways_of her_household_of,her and_[the],bread_of idleness not eat )

Here, the goings on of her house could refer to: (1) what happens inside her home. Alternate translation: [what happens in her home]; (2) what the people who live in her house do, in which case her house has the same meaning as in [31:15](../31/15.md). Alternate translation: [what her family does]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠לֶ֥חֶם עַ֝צְל֗וּת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵֽל

and_[the],bread_of idleness not eat

Here, Lemuel’s mother speaks of someone being lazy as if laziness were bread that a person eats. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and she does not act idly]

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 31:27

Hebrew word order