Proverbs

Proverbs 31:14–18

¹⁴She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

¹⁵She rises while it is still night

to provide food for her household

and portions for her maidservants.

¹⁶She appraises a field and buys it;

from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷She girds herself^c with strength

and shows that her arms are strong.

¹⁸She sees that her gain is good,

and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She is	הָ֭יְתָה	hā·yə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like the merchant	סוֹחֵ֑ר	sō·w·ḥêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5503 travel round, palpitate
ships	כָּאֳנִיּ֣וֹת	kā·’o·nî·yō·wṯ	Preposition-k; Noun - feminine plural construct	H591 a ship
bringing	תָּבִ֥יא	tā·ḇî	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
her food	לַחְמָֽהּ׃	laḥ·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H3899 bread, food
from afar	מִ֝מֶּרְחָ֗ק	mim·mer·ḥāq	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H4801 distant place, distance

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She rises	וַתָּ֤קָם׀	wat·tā·qām	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
while it is still	בְּע֬וֹד	bə·‘ō·wḏ	Preposition-b; Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
night	לַ֗יְלָה	lay·lāh	Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
to provide	וַתִּתֵּ֣ן	wat·tit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H5414 give, put, set
food	טֶ֣רֶף	ṭe·rep̄	Noun - masculine singular	H2964 prey, food; leaf
for her household	לְבֵיתָ֑הּ	lə·ḇê·ṯāh	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H1004 house
and portions	וְ֝חֹ֗ק	wə·ḥōq	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H2706 something prescribed, a statute or due
for her maidservants	לְנַעֲרֹתֶֽיהָ׃	lə·na·‘ă·rō·ṯe·hā	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H5291 girl, damsel

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She appraises	זָמְמָ֣ה	zā·mə·māh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H2161 consider, purpose, devise
a field	שָׂ֭דֶה	śā·d̲eh	Noun - masculine singular	H7704 id.
and buys it	וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ	wat·tiq·qā·ḥê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H3947 take
from her earnings	מִפְּרִ֥י	mip·pə·rî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6529 fruit
she plants	נְטַע	nə·ṭaʿ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H5193 strike, fix, plant
a vineyard	כָּֽרֶם׃	kā·rem	Noun - masculine singular	H3754 vineyard

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She girds herself	חָֽגְרָ֣ה	ḥā·ḡə·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H2296 gird, gird on, gird oneself
with strength	בְע֣וֹז	ḇə·‘ō·wz	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H5797 strength, might
and shows that her arms	זְרֹעוֹתֶֽיהָ׃	zə·rō·‘ō·w·ṯe·hā	Noun - feminine plural construct; third person feminine singular	H2220 arm, shoulder, strength
are strong	וַ֝תְּאַמֵּ֗ץ	wat·tə·’am·mêṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H553 be alert

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
She sees	טָ֭עֲמָה	ṭā·‘ă·māh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H2938 taste, perceive
that	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
her gain	סַחְרָ֑הּ	saḥ·rāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H5504 traffic, gain
good	ט֣וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and her lamp	נֵרָֽהּ׃	nê·rāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H5216 lamp
is not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
extinguished	יִכְבֶּ֖ה	yiḵ·beh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3518 be quenched, extinguished, go out
at night	בַלַּיִל	ḇal·la·yil	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity