hardened / stubborn

The Hebrew and Greek that is typically translated in English as “hardened” or “stubborn” is translated in the Hausa Common Language Ajami Bible idiomatically as taurin kai or “tough head.”

Other languages spoken in Nigeria translate similarly: Abua uses oḅom ẹmhu or “strong head,” Bura-Pabir kəra ɓəɓal or “hard head,” Gokana agẹ̀ togó or “hard/strong head,” Igede egbeju-ọngịrị or “hard head,” Dera gɨddɨng koi or “strong head,” Reshe ɾiʃitə ɾigbaŋgba or “strong head,” and Chadian Arabic has raas gawi (رَاسْكُو قَوِي) or “hard head.” (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

Tagalog translates it as “hardened head.” (Source: Peng Kuo-Wei)

See also stubborn / hardness of heart and hardness of heart.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 7:11

“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 .