31:18
The wife’s success in trading (v. 18a) encourages her to work until late at night (v. 18b).
18a She sees that her gain is good,
18b and her lamp is not extinguished at night.
31:18a
She sees that her gain is good: This line is literally “She tastes that her profit is good.” The word “tastes” is figurative. It means “knows or learns by experience.” There are two ways to interpret this line:
(1) The wife knows that her business activities are making a good profit. For example:
She sees that her business goes well (Revised English Bible)
(2) The wife knows how her business works. She understands the value of her merchandise and the right time to trade. With this interpretation, she does not necessarily know whether her business is successful or not. For example:
She knows the value of everything she makes (Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries.
Some other ways to translate this line are:
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
She senses that her gain is good (New American Standard Bible)
31:18b
and her lamp is not extinguished at night: This statement is a hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration). It means that the wife keeps her lamp burning until late at night so that she can keep working.
lamp: The word lamp refers to an oil-burning lamp with a wick.
Some other ways to translate this line are:
• Keep the hyperbole. For example:
her lamp keeps burning the entire night
• Translate the meaning without the hyperbole. For example:
Her lamp burns late at night. (God’s Word)
-or-
and under lamplight she works deep into the night (The Voice)
-or-
and works late into the night (Good News Translation)
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