“She makes linen garments and sells them”: This line expands on the first line of verse 18. Although a number of other versions follow Revised Standard Version in taking the Hebrew rendered “linen garments” to refer to “clothes” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), it is more likely, as Toy suggests, that “what the housewife made and sold was probably a square piece of cloth that could be used as an outer garment or as a night-dress.” So Revised English Bible says “She weaves linen and sells it,” and New Jerusalem Bible “She weaves materials and sells them.”

“She delivers girdles to the merchant”: New Revised Standard Version has revised this line to “she supplies the merchant with sashes.” Most other versions call these articles “sashes,” although Good News Translation uses the more common English word “belts.” “Delivers” is literally “gives,” but we should understand this as a normal trading exchange of goods for money. “The merchant” refers to a typical trader or business person; Contemporary English Version renders it as “shop owners.”

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 .