acrostic in Proverbs 31

In the Hebrew text, each verse of the acrostic in Proverbs 31:10-31 is started with the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. While most translations mention that in a note or a comment, a number of Bible translations have been able to use the same the rhetorical device. The Swedish Bibel 2000 had the advantage of an additional three letters in the Swedish alphabet aside from the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet (A-Z) — Å, Ä, and Ö are added behind Z — and by skipping some of the more difficult letters (source: Staphan Lindström). The letters that are successively employed are A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, Å, Ä, Ö.

Click or tap here for the complete 22 verses in Swedish:

10 Att finna en driftig hustru, vem förunnas det —
       långt mer än pärlor är hon värd.
11 Blint litar hennes man på henne,
       och vinsten uteblir inte.
12 Dagligen är hon honom till nytta,
       aldrig till skada.
13 Efter att ha skaffat ull och lin
       arbetar hon med flinka händer.
14 Från avlägsna trakter hämtar hon förråd,
       hon är som köpmannens skepp.
15 Gryningen är inte inne när hon stiger upp,
       sätter fram mat åt familjen och ger pigorna deras portioner.
16 Hon ser ut en åker och köper den,
       planterar en vingård för det hon själv har tjänat.
17 Ivrigt går hon till verket
       och hugger i med starka armar.
18 Kan hon märka att affärerna går bra
       får hennes lampa brinna hela natten.
19 Lätt hanterar hon sländtrissan
       och håller sländan i handen.
20 Mot de svaga räcker hon ut handen,
       hon öppnar sin famn för de fattiga.
21 När snön kommer ängslas hon inte:
       hela familjen har kläder av ylle.
22 Också täcken väver hon själv,
       hon är klädd i linne och purpur.
23 På hennes man ser alla med aktning,
       där han sitter bland de äldste i porten.
24 Rockar av linne syr hon och säljer,
       handlaren förser hon med bälten.
25 Styrka och värdighet utstrålar hon
       och ser leende framtiden an.
26 Talar gör hon med klokhet,
       vänliga förmaningar delar hon ut.
27 Uppmärksamt följer hon allt i huset,
       aldrig äter hon lättjans bröd.
28 Välsignad blir hon av sina barn,
       och hennes man lovprisar henne:
29 Åtskilliga duktiga kvinnor har jag sett,
       men du överträffar dem alla! —
30 Älsklighet kan bedra, skönhet förgår,
       för sin gudsfruktan skall en hustru prisas.
31 Överlämna åt henne hennes mödas lön,
       må hon prisas i portarna för sina verk.

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Likewise, Danish also has additional letters in its alphabet (Æ, Ø, and Å) and the Danish Bibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) also maintained an acrostic in this passage:

Click or tap here for the verses in Danish:

10 At finde den ideelle hustru er enhver mands drøm.
Lykkes det, har han fundet en uvurderlig skat.
11 Bedre kan ingen mand ønske sig det,
altid har hun hans fulde tillid.
12 Charmerende er hun tillige,
støtter og opmuntrer ham livet igennem.
13 Dagene bruger hun flittigt,
hun samler uld og hør og har travlt med at spinde.
14 Eksotiske retter forstår hun at frembringe,
for hun har en bred horisont.
15 Før daggry står hun op for at lave mad til familien
og fordele opgaverne mellem husets piger.
16 Går hun forbi et frugtbart jordstykke, køber hun det
og planter en vingård for, hvad hun har tjent.
17 Hun går energisk i gang
og arbejder med stor udholdenhed.
18 Indsatsen bærer frugt,
og der er lys i hendes vindue til langt ud på natten.
19 Jævnligt sidder hun ved sin rok
eller spinder dygtigt ved tenen.
21 Kulden er ikke noget problem,
for hun er klar med det varme tøj.
20 Lider de fattige nød,
er hun der straks med en hjælpende hånd.
23 Man ser hendes mand som en af byens ledere,
for han er en mand, der aftvinger respekt.
22 Nydeligt er hun klædt i dragter af det fineste stof,
hun syr selv sit tøj og væver sine tæpper.
25 Optimistisk ser hun fremtiden i møde,
hun optræder værdigt og karakterfast.
24 Penge har hun nok af,
for hun sælger af det pragtfulde tøj, hun fremstiller.
26 Råd og opmuntring giver hun gerne,
hun taler med visdom og venlige ord.
27 Sit hus har hun styr på,
hun kender ikke til lediggang.
28 Til hver en tid får hun ros af sine børn,
og hendes mand lovpriser hende med følgende ord:
29 „Utallige kvinder er dygtige,
men du overgår dem alle!”
30 Ydre skønhed falmer, og charme kan bedrage,
men en kvinde, der følger Herren, er al beundring værd.
31 Ære og hæder fortjener hun fuldt ud,
og hendes gerninger lovprises overalt i byen.

Like the Hebrew alphabet, the Tok Pisin alphabet has 22 letters (A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y) which the translators saw as a challenge to maintain the Hebrew acrostic: “One of the ways the Israelites followed in writing was a bit different. In the Hebrew alphabet there are 22 letters. Well sometimes they used to divide the talk that they wanted to write into 22 parts, and each part had to start with a different letter. When people translate Hebrew into other languages, they are not able to follow this custom in the translation. But Tok Pisin has 22 letters in its alphabet, the same number as in Hebrew. So in just this one passage in the Bible, we (translators) have followed this custom and reproduced it (the form of the Hebrew), so that you can see how it goes.” (Source: Note in the translation, translated by Timothy Lloyd Wilt in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 207ff. ).

Click or tap here for the verses in Tok Pisin:

10 Ating man i laik maritim meri i gat gutpela pasin tru, a? Orait bai em i hatwok tru long painim. Kain meri olsem i winim olkain ston i dia tumas.
11 Bai man bilong dispela kain meri i save gut long meri i bihainim gutpela pasin oltaim. Na meri bai i helpim em na em i gat planti samting.
12 Dispela meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tasol long man bilong en.
13 Em i save wokim kain kain tret na em i amamas long lumim olkain laplap.
14 Famili bilong en i gat planti kain kaikai, long wanem, em i save go longwe tumas long kisim kaikai, olsem ol bikpela sip i save mekim.
15 Gutpela meri olsem i save kirap taim tulait i no bruk yet na i kukim kaikai bilong famili bilong en na makim wok bilong ol wokmeri bilong en.
16 Hapmeri olsem i save lukluk gut pastaim long graun em i laik baim, na bihain em i baim. Na bihain, em i kisim mani long bisnis bilong em na baim ol yangpela diwai wain bilong planim.
17 I no gat wanpela taim em i les. Em i strongpela meri na i save taitim bun na i wok.
18 Jak bilong lam bilong en i pulap long wel na lam i lait i stap, na em i wok i go inap biknait tru long taim em i lukim bisnis bilong en i go het gut.
19 Kain meri olsem i save wokim ol tret bilong em yet na lumim ol laplap.
20 Long taim em i lukim ol man i sot long ol samting na i rabis, em i save givim ol samting long ol.
21 Maski ren ais i pundaun, em i no save wari long ol famili bilong en, long wanem, em i bin wokim klos bilong ol long laplap i gutpela tumas.
22 Na em yet i save wokim ol blanket bilong ol bet long haus bilong en. Na em i save kisim ol gutpela waitpela laplap na ol gutpela retpela laplap na wokim ol klos bilong en.
23 Ol hetman bilong ples i givim biknem long man bilong en. Na man bilong en i wanpela bilong ol dispela hetman.
24 Planti taim dispela meri i save samapim ol gutpela klos na wokim ol let, na ol bisnisman i save kam baim.
25 Rispek na biknem i olsem klos bilong en na em i gat strong. Em i no save wari long ol samting bai i kamap bihain.
26 Sapos em i skulim ol manmeri, em i mekim tok isi tasol. Na olgeta tok bilong en i kamapim gutpela tingting na save bilong en.
27 Taim em i lukautim ol samting long haus bilong en, em i no save les. Nogat. Em i save wok strong na mekim gutpela wok tumas.
28 “Ure, ure long mama bilong mipela.” Ol pikinini bilong dispela meri i save tok olsem. Na man bilong en i litimapim nem bilong em moa yet na i tok,
29 “Viles na taun bilong yumi i gat planti meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tru, tasol yu winim ol moa yet.”
30 Wanpela meri inap givim switpela tok long yumi, tasol pasin bilong en i narakain. Na maski meri i luk nais tru, em i no inap i stap olsem oltaim. Mobeta yumi litimapim nem bilong meri i save aninit long Bikpela.
31 Yumi mas tingting long gutpela pasin bilong meri na long gutpela wok em i bin mekim, na givim biknem long em. Olgeta manmeri i ken litimapim nem bilong en.

The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) is the only English translation that — aside from Psalm 9/10 — maintains every Hebrew acrostic (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):

10 A man who has found a vigorous wife has found a rare treasure, brought from distant shores.
11 Bound to her in loving confidence, he will have no need of spoil.
12 Content, not sorrow, she will bring him as long as life lasts.
13 Does she not busy herself with wool and thread, plying her hands with ready skill?
14 Ever she steers her course like some merchant ship, bringing provision from far away.
15 From early dawn she is up, assigning food to the household, so that each waiting-woman has her share.
16 Ground must be examined, and bought, and planted out as a vineyard, with the earnings of her toil.
17 How briskly she girds herself to the task, how tireless are her arms!
18 Industry, she knows, is well rewarded, and all night long her lamp does not go out.
19 Jealously she sets her hands to work, her fingers clutch the spindle.
20 Kindly is her welcome to the poor, her purse ever open to those in need.
21 Let the snow lie cold if it will, she has no fears for her household; no servant of hers but is warmly clad.
22 Made by her own hands was the coverlet on her bed, the clothes of lawn and purple that she wears.
23 None so honoured at the city gate as that husband of hers, when he sits in council with the elders of the land.
24 Often she will sell linen of her own weaving, or make a girdle for the travelling merchant to buy.
25 Protected by her own industry and good repute, she greets the morrow with a smile.
26 Ripe wisdom governs her speech, but it is kindly instruction she gives.
27 She keeps watch over all that goes on in her house, not content to go through life eating and sleeping.
28 That is why her children are the first to call her blessed, her husband is loud in her praise:
29 Unrivalled art thou among all the women that have enriched their homes.
30 Vain are the winning ways, beauty is a snare; it is the woman who fears the Lord that will achieve renown.
31 Work such as hers claims its reward; let her life be spoken of with praise at the city gates.

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Proverbs 31 as an Acrostic Poem .

Translation commentary on Proverbs 31:25

“Strength and dignity are her clothing”: Scott takes this line as referring literally to clothing (“Her clothing is of good quality and elegant”), but others take it as figurative language. The term “Strength” refers to physical strength in verse 17, but here it seems to mean strength of character. “Dignity” probably should be taken as meaning “honor” in this context; it describes a quality of character that people praise or respect. To say that qualities “are her clothing” or “She is clothed in [them]” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible) means that she shows those qualities in her life. This is simply expressed as “She is strong and respected” (Good News Translation).

“And she laughs at the time to come”: “The time to come” is literally “the day afterwards,” and this simply means “the future” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). To say that “she laughs at” the future may mean that she is “not afraid of the future” (Good News Translation), but it may also have the sense of “happily looks forward to. . .” (Scott).

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 31:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 31:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “That woman works hard and efficiently and she is honored. She is always happy with nothing to trouble her.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “She is capable and respected by all.
    She has no worries about tomorrow.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “She is strong and respected, and she is not afraid of the future.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “She is strong and her character is good/lovely, and she is not worried about the coming time.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “She is strong in her character and respected/dignified,
    and she laughs at/is not afraid of what will happen in the future.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 31:25

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).

31:25

25a Strength and honor are her clothing,

25b and she can laugh at the days to come.

31:25a

Strength and honor are her clothing: This line describes her character and reputation in the community. It is a figure of speech. A person can easily see the quality of clothing that someone wears. Similarly, they can see the kind of person the wife is by the energetic way in which she works, her character, and her reputation. Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Change it to a simile. For example:

Her strength and dignity ⌊can be seen like⌋ the clothes she wears.

Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:

She is strong and respected (Good News Translation)

Strength: In Hebrew, this word for Strength can refer to physical or military strength or power. It can also refer to “strong” character. A person with a strong character consistently does what is good and right. If possible, translate this word in a way that indicates both kinds of strength. In some languages, it may be necessary to use more than one word or phrase. For example:

her body is strong and her behavior is consistently good
-or-
she is energetic and she persists in doing what is right no matter what happens

honor: The word honor refers here to the woman’s reputation. It means that people respect her. Another way to translate this word is:

and is respected by the people (New Century Version)

31:25b

she can laugh at the days to come: This line describes her cheerful and confident attitude about the future. Some other ways to translate this line are:

she smiles ⌊when she thinks⌋ about the future (The Voice)
-or-
She looks forward to the future with joy. (New Century Version)
-or-
and not afraid of the future (Good News Translation)

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