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The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as a form of “save” in English is translated in Shipibo-Conibo with a phrase that means literally “make to live,” which combines the meaning of “to rescue” and “to deliver from danger,” but also the concept of “to heal” or “restore to health.”

Other translations include:

  • San Blas Kuna: “help the heart”
  • Laka: “take by the hand” in the meaning of “rescue” or “deliver”
  • Huautla Mazatec: “lift out on behalf of”
  • Anuak: “have life because of”
  • Central Mazahua: “be healed in the heart”
  • Baoulé: “save one’s head”
  • Guerrero Amuzgo: “come out well”
  • Northwestern Dinka: “be helped as to his breath” (or “life”) (source for all above: Bratcher / Nida),
  • Matumbi: “rescue (from danger)” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
  • Noongar: barrang-ngandabat or “hold life” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • South Bolivian Quechua: “make to escape”
  • Highland Puebla Nahuatl: “cause people to come out with the aid of the hand” (source for this and one above: Nida 1947, p. 222)
  • Bariai: “retrieve one back” (source: Bariai Back Translation)

See also salvation and save (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 2:16

In Hebrew this verse begins with the same expression as verse 12.

“You will be saved from the loose woman”: The passive construction in Revised Standard Version may be changed to the active, as the Hebrew may be read “She will save, deliver, rescue you” or “Wisdom will save you.” Another expression of the meaning of “be saved from” is given by some translations: “You will be able to reject . . . the woman.”

“Loose woman”: Note that the Revised Standard Version footnote says “strange.” “Strange” has been understood to mean “ethnically foreign,” “married to someone else,” “shameless,” or “adulterous.” However, verses 17-19 describe a woman who has broken away from the restraints of her own husband and community and has become free to satisfy her own desires without regard for the consequences. Many societies use a word for “prostitute” that includes a woman in these conditions. Other languages will refer to such a person as a bad woman or a woman who walks anywhere. Contemporary English Version calls her “a sinful woman” and Good News Translation says “any immoral woman.”

“From the adventuress with her smooth words”: “Adventuress”, as the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, is literally “foreign woman,” and this term matches the sense of “loose woman” in the first line.

“Smooth words”: In Psa 55.21 “smoother than butter” refers to a person who speaks hypocritically. However, here in verse 16 “smooth words” are flattering, seductive, beguiling, enticing words. If “loose woman” refers to an ethnically foreign woman as some interpreters suggest, the “smooth words” may refer to the foreign accent of the woman.

Bible en français courant gives a good model translation for verse 16: “In this way you will avoid being seduced by the flattering words of a woman who is not yours.”

Since the situation described in this verse is something that is possible rather than a present situation, some translations restructure the verse to say, for example, “If a woman [who is another man’s wife] wants to seduce you with her smooth talk, then wisdom will protect you and you will not do what she says.”

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 2:16)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 2:16:

  • Kupsabiny: “That wisdom will help you to guard yourself from an adulterous woman whose words attracts people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Wisdom will save you from the adulteress
    and her smooth words.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Wisdom can- also -keep- you (sing.) -away from the evil woman who wants to entice you (sing.) by her sweet words.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “You (sing.) will also be rescued from the persuasive words of the woman who habitually-commits-adultery” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2:16

Paragraph 2:16–19

This paragraph describes the second evil influence from which wisdom will protect a person. It will prevent him from being seduced by an adulteress.

2:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

16a It will rescue you from the forbidden woman,

16b
from the stranger with seductive words

There is an ellipsis of the words “It will rescue you” at the beginning of 2:16b. (See the note on the similar ellipsis at 2:12.)

The “forbidden woman” in 2:16a refers to the same person as the “stranger” in 2:16b. The phrase “seductive words” adds an additional detail. It refers equally to the “forbidden woman” and the “stranger.”

2:16a

It will rescue you from the forbidden woman: In Hebrew, this verse begins with the same word as in 2:12a. It is literally “to save you.” If it is natural in your language, you should use the same word here as in 2:12a. This will make clear to the readers that the forbidden woman is the second thing from which wisdom will save a person.

If it is not clear to your readers what will save a person from the adulteress, you may add the word “wisdom,” as the God’s Word has done:

Wisdom will also save you… (God’s Word)

Here, as in 2:12a, It (wisdom) is personified. In some languages, it may not be natural to talk about wisdom in this way. Another way to express the meaning without using this figure of speech is:

If you are wise, you will not yield to the temptation of the adulteress

the forbidden woman: The Hebrew phrase ʾiššah zarah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as forbidden woman, is more literally “strange woman.” In Hebrew culture, a wife was considered “strange” to any man other than her husband. The description of this woman in 2:17 makes it clear that this phrase refers to an adulterous/unfaithful wife. It does not refer to an unmarried, immoral woman.

2:16b

the stranger: The Hebrew word nokǝriyyah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as stranger, usually means “foreign woman” or “strange woman.” However, in Proverbs it refers to a wife who commits adultery (see also 5:20a–b, 7:5, 23:27b).

with seductive words: This phrase is more literally “who makes smooth her words.” It means that she uses flattering words that entice the young man by appealing to his pride. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk (Good News Translation)
-or-
from the flattery of the adulterous woman (New Living Translation (1996))

This same idea is expressed figuratively in 5:3a–b, 6:24a–b and 7:21a–b.

General Comment on 2:16a–b

The parallel terms “forbidden woman” and “stranger” refer to a single class of women who commit adultery. They do not refer to a particular individual. If using parallel expressions implies two kinds of women or if using two synonymous phrases sounds redundant, you may want to combine and/or reorder the parallel terms. For example:

It will save you from the unfaithful wife who tries to lead you into adultery with pleasing words. (New Century Version)

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