Proverbs 8:34

8:34 Blessed is the one ¹  who listens to me,

watching ²  at my doors day by day,

waiting ³  beside my doorway. ⁴ 

Proverbs 23:22

23:22 Listen to your father who begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Proverbs 25:12

25:12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, ⁵ 

so is a wise reprover to the ear of the one who listens. ⁶ 

Proverbs 29:24

29:24 Whoever shares with a thief ⁷  is his own enemy; ⁸ 

he hears the oath to testify, ⁹  but does not talk.

[8:34]  ¹ tn Heb “the man.”

[8:34]  ² tn The form לִשְׁקֹד (lishqod) is the infinitive construct serving epexegetically in the sentence. It explains how the person will listen to wisdom.

[8:34]  ³ tn Heb “keeping” or “guarding.”

[8:34]  ⁴ tn Heb “at the posts of my doors” (so KJV, ASV).

[25:12]  ⁵ sn This saying is another example of emblematic parallelism; the first half is the simile, and the second half makes the point from it: A wise rebuke that is properly received is of lasting value. The rebuke in the ear of an obedient student is like ornaments of fine jewelry.

[25:12]  ⁶ tn The “ear of the listener” refers to the obedient disciple, the one who complies with the reproof he hears. Cf. KJV, ASV, NAB “an obedient ear.”

[29:24]  ⁹ sn The expression shares with a thief describes someone who is an “accomplice” (cf. NAB, NIV) because he is willing to share in the loot without taking part in the crime.

[29:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “hates his soul.” The accomplice is working against himself, for he will be punished along with the thief if he is caught.

[29:24]  ¹¹ tn Heb “oath” or “imprecation”; ASV “adjuration.” This amounted to an “oath” or “curse” (cf. NAB “he hears himself put under a curse”; NRSV “one hears the victim’s curse”) either by or on behalf of the victim, that any witness to the crime must testify (cf. Lev 5:1). However, in this legal setting referring to “a victim’s curse” could be misleading (cf. also KJV “he heareth cursing”), since it could be understood to refer to profanity directed against those guilty of the crime rather than an imprecation called down on a witness who refused to testify (as in the present proverb). The present translation specifies this as an “oath to testify.”