34:11 Come children! Listen to me!
I will teach you what it means to fear the Lord. 1
1:8 Listen, 2 my child, 3 to the instruction 4 from 5 your father,
and do not forsake the teaching 6 from 7 your mother.
1:9 For they will be like 8 an elegant 9 garland 10 on 11 your head,
and like 12 pendants 13 around 14 your neck.
4:1 Listen, children, 16 to a father’s instruction, 17
and pay attention so that 18 you may gain 19 discernment.
4:2 Because I give 20 you good instruction, 21
do not forsake my teaching.
4:3 When I was a son to my father, 22
a tender only child 23 before my mother,
4:4 he taught me, and he said to me:
“Let your heart lay hold of my words;
keep my commands so that 24 you will live.
5:1 My child, 26 be attentive to my wisdom,
pay close attention 27 to my understanding,
6:20 My child, guard the commands of your father
and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.
7:1 My child, 29 keep my words
and treasure up my commands in your own keeping. 30
7:24 So now, sons, 31 listen to me,
and pay attention to the words I speak. 32
8:32 “So now, children, 33 listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
23:22 Listen to your father who begot you,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23:26 Give me your heart, my son, 34
and let your eyes observe my ways;
1 tn Heb “the fear of the
2 tn The imperative שְׁמַע (shÿma’, “Listen!”) forms an urgent exhortation which expects immediate compliance with parental instruction.
3 tn Heb “my son.” It is likely that collections of proverbs grew up in the royal courts and were designed for the training of the youthful prince. But once the collection was included in the canon, the term “son” would be expanded to mean a disciple, for all the people were to learn wisdom when young. It would not be limited to sons alone but would include daughters – as the expression “the children of (בְּנֵי, bÿne) Israel” (including males and females) clearly shows. Several passages in the Mishnah and Talmud record instructions to teach daughters the Mosaic law so that they will be righteous and avoid sin as well. The translation “my child,” although not entirely satisfactory, will be used here.
4 tn Heb “training” or “discipline.” See note on 1:2.
5 tn Heb “of.” The noun אָבִיךָ (’avikha, “of your father”) may be classified as a genitive of source.
6 tn Heb “instruction.” In Proverbs the noun תּוֹרַה (torah) often means “instruction” or “moral direction” rather than “law” (BDB 435 s.v. 1.a). It is related to יָרָה (yarah, “to point [or, show] the way” in the Hiphil (BDB 435). Instruction attempts to point a person in the right direction (e.g., Gen 46:28).
7 tn Heb “of.” The noun אִמֶּךָ (’immekha, “of your mother”) may be classified as a genitive of source.
8 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
9 tn Heb “a garland of grace.” The word חֵן (khen, “grace”) refers to qualities that make a person pleasant and agreeable, e.g., a gracious and charming person (BDB 336 s.v.). The metaphor compares the teachings that produce these qualities to an attractive wreath.
10 tn The noun לִוְיַה (livyah, “wreath; garland”) refers to a headdress and appears only twice in the OT (Prov 1:9; 4:9; BDB 531 s.v.; HALOT 524 s.v.).
11 tn Heb “for.”
12 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
13 tn Cf. KJV, ASV “chains”; NIV “a chain”; but this English term could suggest a prisoner’s chain to the modern reader rather than adornment.
14 tn Heb “for.”
15 sn The chapter includes an exhortation to acquire wisdom (1-4a), a list of the benefits of wisdom (4b-9), a call to pursue a righteous lifestyle (10-13), a warning against a wicked lifestyle (14-19), and an exhortation to righteousness (20-27).
16 tn Heb “sons.”
17 tn Heb “discipline.”
18 tn The Qal infinitive construct with preposition ל (lamed) indicates the purpose/result of the preceding imperative.
19 tn Heb “know” (so KJV, ASV).
20 tn The perfect tense has the nuance of instantaneous perfect; the sage is now calling the disciples to listen. It could also be a perfect of resolve, indicating what he is determined to do.
21 tn The word לֶקַח (leqakh, “instruction”) can be subjective (instruction acquired) or objective (the thing being taught). The latter fits best here.
22 tn Or “a boy with my father.”
23 tc The LXX introduces the ideas of “obedient” and “beloved” for these two terms. This seems to be a free rendering, if not a translation of a different Hebrew textual tradition. The MT makes good sense and requires no emendation.
24 tn The imperative with the vav expresses volitional sequence after the preceding imperative: “keep and then you will live,” meaning “keep so that you may live.”
25 sn In this chapter the sage/father exhorts discretion (1, 2) then explains how to avoid seduction (3-6); this is followed by a second exhortation to prevention (7, 8) and an explanation that obedience will avoid ruin and regret (9-14); finally, he warns against sharing love with strangers (15-17) but to find it at home (18-23). For an analysis of the chapter, see J. E. Goldingay, “Proverbs V and IX,” RB 84 (1977): 80-93.
26 tn The text again has “my son.” In this passage perhaps “son” would be the most fitting because of the warning against going to the adulterous woman. However, since the image of the adulterous woman probably represents all kinds of folly (through personification), and since even in this particular folly the temptation works both ways, the general address to either young men or women should be retained. The text was certainly not intended to convey that only women could seduce men.
27 tn Heb “incline your ear” (so NAB, NRSV); NLT “listen carefully.”
28 sn The chapter begins with the important teaching of the father (1-5), then it focuses on the seduction: first of the victim (6-9), then the temptress (10-12), then the seduction (13-20), and the capitulation (21-23); the chapter concludes with the deadly results of consorting (24-27).
29 tn Heb “my son.”
30 tn Heb “within you” (so NASB, NIV); KJV, ASV, NRSV “with you.” BDB 860 s.v. צָפַן Qal.1 suggests that “within you” means “in your own keeping.”
31 tn The literal translation “sons” works well here in view of the warning. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “children.”
32 tn Heb “the words of my mouth.”
33 tn Heb “sons.”
34 tn Heb “my son”; the reference to a “son” is retained in the translation here because in the following lines the advice is to avoid women who are prostitutes.