34 The first word of the fifth line begins with ה (he), the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
35 The point of the simile is that she goes wherever she needs to go, near and far, to gather in all the food for the needs and the likes of the family. The line captures the vision and the industry of this woman.
36 The first word of the sixth line begins with ו (vav), the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
37 The word for “food” is טֶרֶף (teref, “prey”; “meat”), another word that does not normally fit the domestic scene. This word also is used in a similar way in Ps 111:5, which says the Lord gives food. Here it is the noble woman who gives food to her family and servants.
38 The word חֹק (khoq) probably means “allotted portion of food” as before, but some suggest it means the task that is allotted to the servants, meaning that the wise woman gets up early enough to give out the work assignments (, , , , ). That is possible, but seems an unnecessary direction for the line to take. Others, however, simply wish to delete this last colon, leaving two cola and not three, but that is unwarranted.

In other versions

She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still night;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her female servants.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from far away.

She rises while it is still night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her female servants.

She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

She is like the ships of a merchant;

from far off she brings her food;

And she arises while it is still night,

and gives food to her household,

and tasks to her servant girls.

She is like the merchants’ ships;

She bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night,

And giveth meat to her household,

And a portion to her maidens.

Public Domain