15:25

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

25a
The LORD tears down the house of the proud,

25b but He protects the boundaries of the widow.

15:25a

The LORD tears down the house of the proud: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the proud refers to a person who is arrogant and has a high opinion of himself. In this context, it is also someone who oppresses others. The word house refers here to a literal dwelling. But it also represents the other property that belongs to the arrogant person.

It is implied that the LORD uses other forces or people to “tear down” or destroy the proud person’s house. He doesn’t literally tear it down himself. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

The LORD ⌊causes⌋ the house of an arrogant person to be destroyed.

15:25b

but He protects: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as protects means “establishes.” It indicates here that the LORD maintains the boundaries of the widow’s property or restores them to their proper position.

the boundaries of the widow: The phrase the boundaries of the widow refers to the boundary stones that mark the borders of the land belonging to a widow. The word boundaries represents not only the borders of the widow’s land but also her property/possessions in general. This double meaning is similar to the meaning of the parallel word “house” in 15:25a.

Some ways to translate the meaning of this line are:

• Use general terms. For example:

but he will protect the widow’s property (New Century Version)

• Use specific terms. If the concept of boundary stones or markers is meaningful in your language, it may be better to use this option. For example:

but maintains the widow’s boundary stones (Revised English Bible)
-or-
but he restores the borders of the widow’s land to their proper place

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