“The strutting cock”: or, as versions have it in non-British English, “strutting rooster” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version). The Hebrew expression here is obscure and Revised Standard Version has followed the Septuagint and Vulgate. “Strutting” means lifting up his head and walking about. Contemporary English Version renders this as “those proud roosters.”

“The he-goat”: The Septuagint adds “who leads the flock,” and this probably says what the term “he-goat” conveys, although it is not part of the Hebrew text.

“And a king striding before his people”: The meaning of the Hebrew is again uncertain in this line. According to Hebrew Old Testament Text Project it is literally “and a king, no rising against him”; two expressions of this meaning are “king secure against revolt” (New International Version footnote) and “rulers who have no enemies” (Contemporary English Version). Another possible way of understanding the Hebrew is “the king when his army is with him” (Revised Version margin); this is followed by New International Version “a king with his army around him” and probably Good News Translation “kings in front of their people.” Given the uncertainty of the text, translators may take any of the above renderings as models.

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 .