“She is loud and wayward”: “Loud” is a possible translation, but not a certain one. The word can also mean to be in turmoil as used in 1 Kgs 1.41 and Psa 42.5, 11 (42.6, 12 in Hebrew). The woman’s loudness may be a way of covering up her being “wayward”, which refers to her being rebellious or stubborn. A “wayward” person is someone who is in opposition to others. In this case she is probably opposed both to her husband and to the rules of her community.

“Her feet do not stay at home”: “Her feet” is a poetic way of saying “She does not stay at home.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “She was so rash and unrestrainable that she never stayed at home.”

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 .