In the phrase "wert a source of strength", the word "wert" is spelled differently than its modern form "were". This is because "wert" is an archaic second person singular form of "to be" in the past tense, used in older versions of English. The IPA phonetic transcription for "wert" is /wərt/, with the "er" sound pronounced as a schwa sound. Despite its outdated usage, the phrase emphasizes the importance of being a source of strength, highlighting the value of resilience and perseverance.