PROV 31:26 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 Στεγναὶ διατριβαὶ οἴκων αὐτῆς, σῖτα δὲ ὀκνηρὰ οὐκ ἔφαγεν.
(Stegnai diatribai oikōn autaʸs, sita de oknaʸra ouk efagen. )

BrTr The ways of her household are careful, and she eats not the bread of idleness.

ULT Her mouth opens with wisdom,
⇔ and the law of covenant faithfulness is on her tongue.

UST She speaks wisely,
⇔ and when she speaks, she teaches others to be faithful and kind.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE She opens her mouth with wisdom.
⇔ Kind instruction is on her tongue.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET She opens her mouth with wisdom,
⇔ and loving instruction is on her tongue.

LSV She has opened her mouth in wisdom,
And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.

FBV She speaks wise words, and she's kind when she gives instructions.

T4T When she speaks, she says what is wise.
⇔ When she gives instructions,
⇔ she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).

LEB • She opens her mouth with wisdom, and instruction of kindness is upon her tongue.

BBE Her mouth is open to give out wisdom, and the law of mercy is on her tongue.

Moff She talks shrewd sense,
⇔ and offers kindly counsel.

JPS She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue.

ASV She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
⇔ And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

DRA She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.

YLT Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.

Drby She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and upon her tongue is the law of kindness.

RV She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue.
(She openeth/opens her mouth with wisdom; and the law of kindness is on her tongue. )

SLT She opened her mouth in wisdom, and the law of mercy upon her tongue.

Wbstr She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and on her tongue is the law of kindness.

KJB-1769 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
(She openeth/opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. )

KJB-1611 She openeth her mouth with wisedome; and in her tongue is the law of kindnesse.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and in her tongue is the lawe of grace.
(She openeth/opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of grace.)

Gnva She openeth her mouth with wisdome, and the lawe of grace is in her tongue.
(She openeth/opens her mouth with wisdom, and the law of grace is in her tongue. )

Cvdl She openeth hir mouth with wy?dome, & in hir toge is the lawe of grace.
(She openeth/opens her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of grace.)

Wycl Sche openyde hir mouth to wisdom; and the lawe of merci is in hir tunge.
(She opened her mouth to wisdom; and the law of mercy is in her tongue.)

Luth Sie tut ihren Mund auf mit Weisheit, und auf ihrer Zunge ist holdselige Lehre.
(They/She does your(pl) mouth on/in/to with wise_(people), and on/in/to of_their/her tongue is lovelye teaching.)

ClVg Os suum aperuit sapientiæ, et lex clementiæ in lingua ejus.[fn]
(Os his_own opened of_wisdom, and the_law clementiæ in/into/on tongue/language his. )

31.26 Os suum. Ad hoc tantum loquens os aperuit, etc., usque ad utrique convenit quod subjungit: Lex clementiæ. Ut non statim puniat ut lex Moysi, etc., usque ad et sic absolvit eam: Vade et amplius noli peccare.

31.26 Os his_own. To this only speaking mouth opened, etc., until to utrique agreed that subjoins: Law clementiæ. As not/no immediately puniat as the_law of_Moses, etc., until to and so absolvit her: Go and more don't to_sin.

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 31:25–27

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).

31:26

The ESV has been used as the source line for 26b, because it follows a recommended interpretation for the second line. It also shows the parallelism more clearly.

^26aShe opens her mouth with wisdom, (BSB)

^26band the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (ESV)

31:26a–b

opens her mouth…on her tongue: In Hebrew, the parallel phrases opens her mouth and on her tongue are frequently used figuratively to refer to speech. Here they both represent the words that the wife speaks.

31:26a

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

When she opens her mouth to speak, wise words come out.
When she speaks, the things that she says are wise/sensible.

She opens her mouth with wisdom: Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Keep the figurative reference to mouth. For example:
When she opens her mouth, it is to speak wisely (REB)
Her mouth is full of wisdom (NJPS)
Wise words come from her mouth
Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:
She speaks with wisdom (NIV)
When she speaks, her words are wise (NLT)

31:26b

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

The words that come from her lips/tongue when she teaches are kind/gentle.
She is patient/kind whenever she teaches someone in her household.

(ESV) and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue: In Hebrew, the word that the ESV translates as kindness has three aspects of meaning: loyalty, love, and kindness (see the notes on 3:3a and 14:22b for more information). In this verse, versions focus on either love/kindness or loyalty/reliability. The two interpretations are as follows:

The word kindness refers here to love or kindness. For example:
kindly instruction (NJB)
(CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, GNT)
The word kindness refers here to loyalty or reliability. For example:
faithful instruction (NIV) (BSB, NIV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries.Two commentaries that support the reliability of the teaching are McKane (page 670) and Ross (page 1133).

In addition, there are two ways to interpret the phrase teaching of kindness:

It refers to teaching/instruction that is done in a kind manner. For example:
kindly instruction (NJB) (CEV, GW, NAB, NET, NJB, NJPS, NLT, GNT)
It refers to teaching/instruction about kindness. For example:
teaches other to be kind (NCV) (NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries. Note: Versions that translate literally (“teaching/instruction of kindness”) have not been listed under either interpretation, because they could be interpreted either way. These versions include the ESV, NASB, and NRSV.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

Keep the figurative reference to tongue or a similar figure of speech, such as “lips.” For example:
Her tongue is full with kindly teaching (NJPS)The phrase [is full] has been supplied to fill in the ellipsis.
Kind advice comes from her lips/tongue.
Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:
and she gives instructions with kindness (NLT)

The verse does not specify who the wife instructs. If possible, translate this line in a general way. If you need to specify who she instructs, it is probably her children and servants.Cohen (page 214) and Murphy (page 248) both suggest her children and servants. Toy (page 547) and Hubbard (page 484) add the category of friends.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

פִּ֭י⁠הָ פָּתְחָ֣ה

her/its=mouth opens

Here, mouth opens refers to speaking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “She talks”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְ⁠חָכְמָ֑ה

with,wisdom

See how you translated the abstract noun wisdom in [1:2](../01/02.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וְ⁠תֽוֹרַת־חֶ֝֗סֶד

and,instruction_of kindness

Here, Lemuel’s mother is using the possessive form to describe the law that is characterized by covenant faithfulness. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “and the law that is characterized by covenant faithfulness”

Note 4 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

וְ⁠תֽוֹרַת

and,instruction_of

Although the law here is singular, it refers to what this woman teaches or instructs others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and the instructions of” or “and the teachings of”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חֶ֝֗סֶד

kindness

See how you translated the same use of covenant faithfulness in [11:17](../11/17.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

עַל־לְשׁוֹנָֽ⁠הּ

on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in tongue_of,her