Proverbs 19:20

19:20 Listen to advice ¹  and receive discipline,

that ²  you may become wise ³  by the end of your life. ⁴ 

Proverbs 22:19

22:19 So that ⁵  your confidence may be in the Lord,

I am making them known to you today ⁶  – even you.

Proverbs 31:25

31:25 She is clothed ⁷  with strength ⁸  and honor, ⁹ 

and she can laugh ¹⁰  at the time ¹¹  to come.

[19:20]  ¹ sn The advice refers in all probability to the teachings of the sages that will make one wise.

[19:20]  ² tn The proverb is one continuous thought, but the second half of the verse provides the purpose for the imperatives of the first half.

[19:20]  ³ tn The imperfect tense has the nuance of a final imperfect in a purpose clause, and so is translated “that you may become wise” (cf. NAB, NRSV).

[19:20]  ⁴ tn Heb “become wise in your latter end” (cf. KJV, ASV) which could obviously be misunderstood.

[22:19]  ⁵ tn The form לִהְיוֹת (lihyot, “to be”) is the infinitive construct indicating the purpose (or result) of the teaching (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[22:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “I cause you to know.” The term “today” indicates that the verb should have the instantaneous nuance, and so an English present tense is used in the translation (“am making…known”).

[31:25]  ⁹ sn The idea of clothing and being clothed is a favorite figure in Hebrew. It makes a comparison between wearing clothes and having strength and honor. Just as clothes immediately indicate something of the nature and circumstances of the person, so do these virtues.

[31:25]  ¹⁰ tn The first word of the sixteenth line begins with ע (ayin), the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

[31:25]  ¹¹ sn This word appears in Ps 111:3 which says that the Lord’s work is honorable, and here the woman is clothed with strength and honor.

[31:25]  ¹² sn Here “laugh” is either a metonymy of adjunct or effect. The point is that she is confident for the future because of all her industry and planning.

[31:25]  ¹³ tn Heb “day.” This word is a metonymy of subject meaning any events that take place on the day or in the time to come.