PROV 31:10 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει; τιμιωτέρα δέ ἐστι λίθων πολυτελῶν ἡ τοιαύτη.
(Gunaika andreian tis heuraʸsei; timiōtera de esti lithōn polutelōn haʸ toiautaʸ. )

BrTr Who shall find a virtuous woman? for such a one is more valuable than precious stones.

ULT A woman of worth, who can find?
⇔ And her value is far more than coral pearls.

UST Virtuous and capable women are difficult to find!
⇔ This kind of woman is more valuable than precious jewels.

31:10 Verses 10–31 are an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE ⇔ [fn] Who can find a worthy woman?
⇔ For her value is far above rubies.

31:10 Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order.

WMBB ⇔ [fn]Who can find a worthy woman?
⇔ For her value is far above rubies.

31:10 Proverbs 31:10-31 form an acrostic, with each verse starting with each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order.

NET Who can find a wife of noble character?
⇔ For her value is far more than rubies.

LSV [ALEPH-BET] A woman of worth who finds? Indeed, her price [is] far above rubies.

FBV Who can find a strong, capable wife? She's worth more than jewels![fn]

31:10 “Jewels”: though often translated as “rubies,” it seems that they were not known at this time. The red jewels were likely to be carnelian or red coral.

T4T ⇔ It is very difficult for a man to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable of doing many things.
⇔ Any woman who is like that is worth more than jewels.

LEB • A woman[fn] of excellence,[fn] who will find? For her worth is far more than precious jewels.

31:? Or “wife”

31:? Or “strength,” or “valor,” or “ability,” or “efficiency”

BBE Who may make discovery of a woman of virtue? For her price is much higher than jewels.

Moff A rare find is an able wife--
⇔ she is worth far more than rubies!

JPS A woman of valour who can find? for her price is far above rubies.

ASV ⇔ A worthy woman who can find?
⇔ For her price is far above rubies.

DRA Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.

YLT A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.

Drby Who can find a woman of worth? for her price is far above rubies.

RV A virtuous woman who can find? for her price is far above rubies.

SLT Who shall find a woman of virtue? for her price is far above pearls.

Wbstr Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

KJB-1769 ¶ Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

KJB-1611 ¶ Who can finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue Rubies.
(¶ Who can find a power/strengthous woman? for her price is far above Rubies.)

Bshps Who so fyndeth an honest faythfull woman, she is much more worth then pearles.
(Whoso/Whoever findeth/finds an honest faithful woman, she is much more worth then pearls.)

Gnva Who shall finde a vertuous woman? for her price is farre aboue the pearles.
(Who shall find a power/strengthous woman? for her price is far above the pearls. )

Cvdl Who so fyndeth an honest faithful woma, she is moch more worth the perles.
(Whoso/Whoever findeth/finds an honest faithful woma, she is much more worth the perles.)

Wycl Who schal fynde a stronge womman? the prijs of her is fer, and fro the laste endis.
(Who shall find a strong woman? the price of her is far, and from the last ends.)

Luth Wem ein tugendsam Weib bescheret ist, die ist viel edler denn die köstlichsten Perlen.
(Who a tugendsam woman bestow/grantt is, the is many nobler because/than the delicioussten pearls.)

ClVg [Mulierem fortem quis inveniet? procul et de ultimis finibus pretium ejus.[fn]
([Womanm brave who/any will_find? far_away and from/about ultimis borders price/ransom/value his. )

31.10 Mulierem fortem. Hucusque verba Lamuelis regis, etc., usque ad virtutes describantur ac præmia. Mulierem fortem quis inveniet. Mulier fortis sancta Ecclesia, etc., usque ad per mundum prædicare donavit, addidit:

31.10 Womanm brave. So_far words Lamuelis king, etc., until to by_virtues describantur and prizes. Womanm brave who/any will_find. Woman strong/powerful holy Assembly/Church, etc., until to through the_world to_preach donated, added:

SOTN 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 31:10–12

This introductory paragraph describes the value of the ideal wife in two ways:

She is a woman who is both capable and good. Such a woman is hard to find and is extremely valuable (v. 10).
She benefits her husband in many ways (vv. 11–12).

31:10

^10aA wife of noble character, who can find?

^10bShe is far more precious than rubies.

31:10a

A wife of noble character, who can find?

Who can find a wife who is skillful/capable and has a good character? It is not easy to do.
There are very few virtuous/godly women with many abilities that a person/man can find to marry.

A wife of noble character, who can find?: This is a rhetorical question. It means that it is very difficult to find A wife of noble character. It implies that few such women are available for a man to marry. Some ways to translate this question are:

Use a slightly different rhetorical question. For example:
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? (NLT)
Use a rhetorical question and make the implied answer explicit. For example:
Is it easy to find a good wife with many abilities/skills? No, it is not.
Use a statement. For example:
It is hard to find a good wife (NCV)
There are very few virtuous and capable women that a person can find to marry.

A wife of noble character: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as noble character usually means “strength” or “power.” In this context, it indicates a wife who has a good, morally strong character and is also competent. Most versions use only one expression to describe her. For example:

a wife with a strong character (GW)

A capable wife (NRSV)

Some languages may have one expression that covers both meanings of the Hebrew word. If not, you may use more than one term. For example:

a clever wife with a good character

See how you translated A wife of noble character in 12:4.

31:10b

She is far more precious than rubies.

A wife/woman like that is far more valuable than rubies/pearls.
The value/worth of such a woman exceeds the value of the most expensive jewels.

She is far more precious than rubies: In Hebrew, the word rubies may also refer to “red coral” (REB) or “pearls” (NJB). The meaning is uncertain. So some English versions use a more general term, such as “jewels” (ESV). If you use a specific term such as “rubies” or “pearls,” be sure that these items are considered to be extremely valuable. See how you translated the same word in 20:15.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

She is far more precious than jewels. (NRSV)

For her value is far more than rubies (NET)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל מִ֣י יִמְצָ֑א

wife_of noble_character who? find

Lemuel’s mother is using the question form to emphasize the difficulty of finding a wife of worth. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation Alternate translation: “Not many men can find a woman of worth!”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל & מִכְרָֽ⁠הּ

wife_of noble_character & price_of,her

A woman of worth and her refer to a type of woman in general, not a particular woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any woman of worth … that woman’s value”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אֵֽשֶׁת־חַ֭יִל

wife_of noble_character

Here, Lemuel’s mother is using the possessive form to describe a woman who is characterized by worth. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “A worthy woman”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

חַ֭יִל

noble_character

Here, worth refers to both physical ability and moral worth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “physical and moral worth”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

מִ⁠פְּנִינִ֣ים

more,than_corals

See how you translated corals in [3:15](../03/15.md).

Parallel PROV 31:10

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

Paragraph 31:10–12

31:10

31:10a

31:10b