31:20

This verse describes the wife’s generous help to poor people. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

She opens her arms to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

31:20a–b

She opens her arms…reaches out her hands: These parallel phrases both mean that she generously helps poor people. This help may include money, clothes, or food. The verse does not specify what she does to help them.

to the poor…to the needy: For the word poor, see the notes in 14:21b. For the word needy, see the notes in 14:31b. See how you translated these words in the second line of 31:9.

Some other ways to translate these parallel lines are:

She opens her hands to oppressed people and stretches them out to needy people. (God’s Word)
-or-
She reaches out her hands to poor people of low status. She generously helps people who need help.

General Comment on 31:20a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in these lines. For example:

She is generous to the poor and needy. (Good News Translation)

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