Translation commentary on Proverbs 6:24

“To preserve you from the evil woman”: It may be necessary to begin verse 24 with a new subject, such as “Those teachings” or “They.” “Preserve” renders a verb meaning to keep from, protect, or guard. “Woman” is singular, but the sense is collective, “evil women.” “Evil” is defined in the following lines as a flattering “adventuress” and as a prostitute. Although Hebrew Old Testament Text Project classifies “evil woman” as a “C” and so accepts that there is considerable doubt as to the Hebrew text here, it recommends this form rather than “neighbor’s wife” or “another’s wife” as occurs in the Septuagint, which is followed by a number of modern versions including New Revised Standard Version.

“From the smooth tongue of the adventuress”: “Smooth tongue” is a figurative way to speak of seductive flattery (see 2.16). Flattery is the use of praise or exaggeration to obtain some advantage over the person being falsely praised. Psa 5.9 (Hebrew verse 10) says “they make their tongues smooth,” which means they engage in insincere flattery. Many languages have idiomatic ways of expressing the idea of flattery or of a flatterer.

“Adventuress” (see 2.16) translates “the strange woman.” The term is taken by a number of versions and interpreters to mean a woman who is another man’s wife. We may render verse 24, for example, “They will protect you from the ways of a bad woman and from the smooth talk of another man’s 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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 6:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 6:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “(They) will protect you from an adulterous woman or from a sweet tongue of a wandering/wayward woman.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “They will save you
    from the adulterous woman,
    They will keep you far away
    from the smooth talk of evil women.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “This will- also -keep you (sing.) -away from the bad woman who is-enticing when (she) speaks.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It/They will-rescue/keep you (sing.) from the tempting words of a woman who commits-adultery (lit. does-with-men).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 6:24

6:24

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. Although both lines express the same general idea, the second line adds more details about the “immoral woman.”

24a
to keep you from the evil woman,

24b
from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

6:24a–b

to keep you from: Other ways to translate this phrase are:

to preserve from (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
protect from (Contemporary English Version)

It expresses the reason why the young man should obey good teaching: this teaching will prevent him from getting involved with an adulterous woman.

the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress: In Hebrew, the phrase the evil woman is literally “woman of evil.” It refers to bad or immoral women in general, not to a specific woman. For example:

bad women (Good News Translation)

The parallel phrase the adulteress is one word in Hebrew. Other ways to translate it are:

adulterous woman (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
another man’s unfaithful wife (New Century Version)

The same word is used in 2:16b.

6:24b

the smooth tongue of the adulteress: This phrase is a figure of speech (metonymy) that refers to the flattering words used by adulterous women in order to seduce someone. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the pleasing words of another man’s unfaithful wife (New Century Version)
-or-
the seductive words of other men’s wives (Good News Translation)
-or-
the flattering words of someone else’s wife (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 6:24a–b

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

They will protect you from the flattery of the immoral wives of other men.

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