Discovery BoxProverbs 3:15 
Context3:15 She is more precious than rubies,
and none of the things 1 you desire 2 can compare 3 with her. 4
Proverbs 7:10
Context7:10 Suddenly 5 a woman came out to meet him!
She was dressed like a prostitute 6 and with secret intent. 7
Proverbs 7:12
Context7:12 at one time outside, at another 8 in the wide plazas,
and by every corner she lies in wait.)
Proverbs 8:2
Context8:2 At the top 9 of the elevated places along the way,
at the intersection 10 of the paths she takes her stand;
Proverbs 9:14
Context9:14 So she sits at the door of her house,
on a seat at the highest point of the city,
Proverbs 23:22
Context23:22 Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Proverbs 31:18
Context31:18 She knows 11 that her merchandise is good,
and her lamp 12 does not go out in the night.
Proverbs 31:21
Context31:21 She is not 13 afraid of the snow 14 for her household,
for all of her household are clothed with scarlet. 15
Proverbs 31:31
Context1 tn Heb “all of your desires cannot compare with her.”
2 tn Heb “your desires.” The 2nd person masculine singular suffix on the noun probably functions as subjective genitive.
3 tn The imperfect tense verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish be like; to resemble”) has a potential nuance here: “can be compared with.”
4 tn Heb “All of your desires do not compare with her.”
5 tn The particle וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) introduces a dramatic sense of the immediate to the narrative; it has a deictic force, “and look! – there was a woman,” or “all of a sudden this woman….”
6 tn Heb “with the garment of a prostitute.” The noun שִׁית (shith, “garment”) is an adverbial accusative specifying the appearance of the woman. The words “she was” are supplied in the translation to make a complete English sentence.
7 tn Heb “kept secret of heart”; cf. ASV, NRSV “wily of heart.” The verbal form is the passive participle from נָצַר (natsar) in construct. C. H. Toy lists the suggestions of the commentators: false, malicious, secret, subtle, excited, hypocritical (Proverbs [ICC], 149). The LXX has “causes the hearts of the young men to fly away.” The verb means “to guard; to watch; to keep”; to be guarded of heart means to be wily, to have secret intent – she has locked up her plans and gives nothing away (e.g., Isaiah 48:6 as well). Interestingly enough, this contrasts with her attire which gives everything away.
8 tn The repetition of the noun “time, step,” usually translated “now, this time,” signifies here “at one time…at another time” (BDB 822 s.v. פַּעַם 3.e).
9 tn Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking. There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all.
10 tn Heb “at the house of the paths.” The “house” is not literal here, but refers to where the paths meet (cf. ASV, NIV), that is, the “crossroads” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).
11 tn The first word of the ninth line begins with ט (tet), the ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
sn This is the word for “taste.” It means her opinion or perception, what she has learned by experience and therefore seems right.
12 sn The line may be taken literally to mean that she is industrious throughout the night (“burning the midnight oil”) when she must in order to follow through a business deal (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 668); cf. TEV. But the line could also be taken figuratively, comparing “her light” to the prosperity of her household – her whole life – which continues night and day.
13 tn The first word of the twelfth line begins with ל (lamed), the twelfth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
14 sn “Snow” is a metonymy of adjunct; it refers to the cold weather when snow comes. The verse is saying that this time is not a concern for the wise woman because the family is well prepared.
15 tn For the MT’s “scarlet” the LXX and the Latin have “two” or “double” – the difference being essentially the vocalization of a plural as opposed to a dual. The word is taken in the versions with the word that follows (“covers”) to means “double garments.” The question to be asked is whether scarlet would keep one warm in winter or double garments. The latter is the easier reading and therefore suspect.
16 tn The first word of the twenty-second line begins with ת (tav), the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
17 tn Heb “Give her from the fruit of her hands.” The expression “the fruit of her hands” employs two figures. The word “fruit” is a figure known as hypocatastasis, an implied comparison, meaning “what she produces.” The word “hand” is a metonymy of cause, meaning her efforts to produce things. So the line is saying essentially “give her her due.” This would either mean give her credit for what she has done (the option followed by the present translation; cf. TEV) or reward her for what she has done (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
18 sn Psalm 111 began with the imperative יָה הָלְלוּ (halÿlu yah, “praise the
19 tn “Gates” is a metonymy of subject. It refers to the people and the activity that occurs in the gates – business dealings, legal transactions, and social meetings. The term “city” is supplied in the translation for clarity. One is reminded of the acclaim given to Ruth by Boaz: “for all the gate of my people knows that you are a noble woman [אֵשֶׁת חַיִל, ’eshet khayil]” (Ruth 3:11).
