3:2 for they will provide 1 a long and full life, 2
and they will add well-being 3 to you.
3:16 Long life 4 is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
10:27 Fearing the Lord 5 prolongs life, 6
but the life span 7 of the wicked will be shortened. 8
1 tn The phrase “they will provide” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.
2 tn Heb “length of days and years of life” (so NASB, NRSV). The idiom “length of days” refers to a prolonged life and “years of life” signifies a long time full of life, a life worth living (T. T. Perowne, Proverbs, 51). The term “life” refers to earthly felicity combined with spiritual blessedness (BDB 313 s.v. חַיִּים).
3 tn The noun שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) here means “welfare, health, prosperity” (BDB 1022 s.v. 3). It can be used of physical health and personal well-being. It is the experience of positive blessing and freedom from negative harm and catastrophe.
4 tn Heb “length of days” (so KJV, ASV).
5 tn Heb “the fear of the
6 tn Heb “days” (so KJV, ASV).
7 tn Heb “years.” The term “years” functions as a synecdoche of part (= years) for the whole (= lifespan).
8 sn This general saying has to be qualified with the problem of the righteous suffering and dying young, a problem that perplexed the sages of the entire ancient world. But this is the general principle: The righteous live longer because their life is the natural one and because God blesses them.
9 tn Here the terms are not the usual חֻקִּים (khuqqim) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim; as in v. 1) but חֻקֹּת (khuqqot, “statutes”) and מִצְוֹת (mitsot, “commandments”). It is clear that these terms are used interchangeably and that their technical precision ought not be overly stressed.
10 tn Heb “commanding.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation.