“To restrain her is to restrain the wind”: “To restrain her” is literally “those who hide her.” This does not make good sense, so most versions take the verb in the sense of “restrain” or “catch” (Contemporary English Version). “Restrain” means to “prevent,” “restrict,” or “keep under control.” “Her” refers to the woman in verse 15. The sense of this line is that trying to restrict or control this kind of woman is as hopeless as trying to keep the wind from blowing.

“Or to grasp oil in his right hand”: This line is another picture, similar to that in the previous line. It is literally “and oil meets [encounters, comes into contact with] his right hand.” The thought expressed here seems to be that the nagging wife is as difficult to take hold of as a handful of oil or that she is as slippery as oil in the hand. “Oil” refers to olive oil. Commentators agree that this line is only loosely related in sense to the first. The Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation notes say the Hebrew of this verse is unclear. Bible en français courant offers a model translation: “To wish to stop her [from nagging] is like trying to restrain the wind or to grasp oil with the hand.” Contemporary English Version has “It’s easier to catch the wind or hold olive oil in your hand than to stop a nagging wife.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .