Proverbs 2:20

2:20 So ¹  you will walk in the way of good people, ² 

and will keep on the paths of the righteous. ³ 

Proverbs 15:24

15:24 The path of life is upward ⁴  for the wise person, ⁵ 

to ⁶  keep him from going downward to Sheol. ⁷ 

Proverbs 19:20

19:20 Listen to advice ⁸  and receive discipline,

that ⁹  you may become wise ¹⁰  by the end of your life. ¹¹ 

[2:20]  ¹ tn The conjunction לְמַעַן (lÿma’an, “so; as a result”) introduces the concluding result (BDB 775 s.v. מַעַן 2; HALOT 614 s.v. מַעַן 2.c) of heeding the admonition to attain wisdom (2:1-11) and to avoid the evil men and women and their destructive ways (2:12-19).

[2:20]  ² tn The noun “good” (טוֹבִים, tovim) does not function as an attributive genitive (“the good way”) because it is a plural noun and the term “way” (דֶרֶךְ, derekh) is singular. Rather it functions as a genitive of possession identifying the people who walk on this path: “the way of the good people.”

[2:20]  ³ tn In the light of the parallelism, the noun “righteous” (צַדִּיקִים, tsadiqim) functions as a genitive of possession rather than an attributive genitive.

[15:24]  ⁴ tn There is disagreement over the meaning of the term translated “upward.” The verse is usually taken to mean that “upward” is a reference to physical life and well-being (cf. NCV), and “going down to Sheol” is a reference to physical death, that is, the grave, because the concept of immortality is said not to appear in the book of Proverbs. The proverb then would mean that the wise live long and healthy lives. But W. McKane argues (correctly) that “upwards” in contrast to Sheol, does not fit the ways of describing the worldly pattern of conduct and that it is only intelligible if taken as a reference to immortality (Proverbs [OTL], 480). The translations “upwards” and “downwards” are not found in the LXX. This has led some commentators to speculate that these terms were not found in the original, but were added later, after the idea of immortality became prominent. However, this is mere speculation.

[15:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “to the wise [man],” because the form is masculine.

[15:24]  ⁶ tn The term לְמַעַן (lema’an, “in order to”) introduces a purpose clause; the path leads upward in order to turn the wise away from Sheol.

[15:24]  ⁷ tn Heb “to turn from Sheol downward”; cf. NAB “the nether world below.”

[19:20]  ⁷ sn The advice refers in all probability to the teachings of the sages that will make one wise.

[19:20]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “become wise in your latter end” (cf. KJV, ASV) which could obviously be misunderstood.