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 4:14

4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked

or walk ⁵  in the way of those who are evil.

Proverbs 23:19

23:19 Listen, my child, ⁶  and be wise,

and guide your heart on the right way.

[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.

[4:14]  ⁵ tn The verb אָשַׁר (’ashar, “to walk”) is not to be confused with the identically spelled homonym אָשַׁר “to pronounce happy” as in BDB 80 s.v. אָשַׁר.

[23:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “my son,” but the immediate context does not limit this to male children.