Proverbs 3:18

3:18 She is like ¹  a tree of life ²  to those who obtain her, ³ 

and everyone who grasps hold of her will be blessed. ⁴ 

Proverbs 4:13

4:13 Hold on to instruction, ⁵  do not let it go;

protect it, ⁶  because it is your life.

Proverbs 7:13

7:13 So she grabbed him and kissed him,

and with a bold expression ⁷  she said to him,

[3:18]  ¹ 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.

[3:18]  ² sn The metaphor compares wisdom to the symbol of vitality and fullness of life. This might be an allusion to Gen 3:22, suggesting that what was lost as a result of the Fall may be recovered through wisdom: long and beneficial life (R. Marcus, “The Tree of Life in Proverbs,” JBL 62 [1943]: 117-20).

[3:18]  ³ tn Heb “lay hold of her.”

[3:18]  ⁴ tn The singular participle מְאֻשָּׁר (mÿ’ushar, literally, “he will be blessed”) functions as a distributive singular for a plural subject (GKC 464 §145.l): “each and everyone will be blessed.” Not recognizing this point of syntax, the BHS editors unnecessarily suggest emending this singular form to the plural.

[4:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “discipline.”

[4:13]  ⁶ tn The form נִצְּרֶהָ (nitsÿreha, from נָצַר, natsar) has an anomalous doubled letter (see GKC 73 §20.h).

[7:13]  ⁹ tn Heb “she makes bold her face.” The Hiphil perfect of עָזַז (’azar, “to be strong”) means she has an impudent face (cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV), a bold or brazen expression (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).