Proverbs 3:16

3:16 Long life ¹  is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

Proverbs 3:2

3:2 for they will provide ²  a long and full life, ³ 

and they will add well-being ⁴  to you.

Proverbs 25:15

25:15 Through patience ⁵  a ruler can be persuaded, ⁶ 

and a soft tongue ⁷  can break a bone. ⁸ 

[3:16]  ¹ tn Heb “length of days” (so KJV, ASV).

[3:2]  ² tn The phrase “they will provide” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

[3:2]  ³ 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).

[3:2]  ⁴ 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.

[25:15]  ³ tn Heb “long of anger” or “forbearance” (so NASB).

[25:15]  ⁴ tn The two imperfect verbs in this line may be nuanced as potential imperfects because what is described could happen, but does not do so as a rule.

[25:15]  ⁵ tn The “tongue” is a metonymy of cause; and so the expression here refers to soft or gentle speech. This fits well with the parallel idea of patience (“long of anger”) – through a calm patient persuasion much can be accomplished. Some English versions relate this figure directly to the persuasion of a ruler in the previous line (cf. TEV “can even convince rulers”).

[25:15]  ⁶ sn The idea of breaking a bone uses the hardest and most firm part of the body in contrast to the “softness of the tongue.” Both are figurative, forming a comparison. A gentle speech can break down any stiff opposition.