Psalms 1:3

1:3 He is like ¹  a tree planted by flowing streams; ² 

it ³  yields ⁴  its fruit at the proper time, ⁵ 

and its leaves never fall off. ⁶ 

He succeeds in everything he attempts. ⁷ 

Deuteronomy 4:6

4:6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding ⁸  to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise ⁹  people.”

Joshua 1:7-8

1:7 Make sure you are ¹⁰  very strong and brave! Carefully obey ¹¹  all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! ¹²  Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful ¹³  in all you do. ¹⁴  1:8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! ¹⁵  You must memorize it ¹⁶  day and night so you can carefully obey ¹⁷  all that is written in it. Then you will prosper ¹⁸  and be successful. ¹⁹ 

Proverbs 3:4

3:4 Then you will find ²⁰  favor and good understanding, ²¹ 

in the sight of God and people. ²² 

Proverbs 3:2

3:2 for they will provide ²³  a long and full life, ²⁴ 

and they will add well-being ²⁵  to you.

Proverbs 3:15-17

3:15 She is more precious than rubies,

and none of the things ²⁶  you desire ²⁷  can compare ²⁸  with her. ²⁹ 

3:16 Long life ³⁰  is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

3:17 Her ways are very pleasant, ³¹ 

and all her paths are peaceful.

[1:3]  ¹ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse. According to the psalmist, the one who studies and obeys God’s commands typically prospers.

[1:3]  ² tn Heb “channels of water.”

[1:3]  ³ tn Heb “which.”

[1:3]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.

[1:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “in its season.”

[1:3]  ⁶ tn Or “fade”; “wither.”

[1:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “and all which he does prospers”; or “and all which he does he causes to prosper.” (The simile of the tree does not extend to this line.) It is not certain if the Hiphil verbal form (יַצְלִיחַ, yatsliakh) is intransitive-exhibitive (“prospers”) or causative (“causes to prosper”) here. If the verb is intransitive, then כֹּל (kol, “all, everything”) is the subject. If the verb is causative, then the godly individual or the Lord himself is the subject and כֹּל is the object. The wording is reminiscent of Josh 1:8, where the Lord tells Joshua: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper (literally, “cause your way to prosper”) and be successful.”

[4:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”

[4:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “wise and understanding.”

[1:7]  ¹⁰ tn Or “Only be.”

[1:7]  ¹¹ tn Heb “so you can be careful to do.” The use of the infinitive לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor, “to keep”) after the imperatives suggests that strength and bravery will be necessary for obedience. Another option is to take the form לִשְׁמֹר as a vocative lamed (ל) with imperative (see Isa 38:20 for an example of this construction), which could be translated, “Indeed, be careful!”

[1:7]  ¹² tn Heb “commanded you.”

[1:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “be wise,” but the word can mean “be successful” by metonymy.

[1:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “in all which you go.”

[1:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “mouth.”

[1:8]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “read it in undertones,” or “recite it quietly” (see HALOT 1:237).

[1:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “be careful to do.”

[1:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “you will make your way prosperous.”

[1:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and be wise,” but the word can mean “be successful” by metonymy.

[3:4]  ²⁰ tn The form וּמְצָא (umÿtsa’, “find”) is the imperative but it functions as a purpose/result statement. Following a string of imperatives (v. 3), the imperative with a prefixed vav introduces a volitive sequence expressing purpose or result (v. 4).

[3:4]  ²¹ tn The noun שֵׂכֶל (sekhel, “understanding”) does not seem to parallel חֵן (khen, “favor”). The LXX attaches the first two words to v. 3 and renders v. 4: “and devise excellent things in the sight of the Lord and of men.” Tg. Prov 3:4 and Syriac Peshitta list all three words separately: “favor and good and understanding.” C. H. Toy (Proverbs [ICC], 59) suggests emending the MT’s שֵׂכֶל־טוֹב (sekhel-tov, “good understanding”) to שֵׁם־טוֹב (shem-tov, “a good name”). It is also possible to take the two words as a hendiadys: the favor of good understanding, meaning, a reputation for good understanding.

[3:4]  ²² tn Heb “man.”

[3:2]  ²³ 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]  ²⁴ 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]  ²⁵ 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.

[3:15]  ²⁶ tn Heb “all of your desires cannot compare with her.”

[3:15]  ²⁷ tn Heb “your desires.” The 2nd person masculine singular suffix on the noun probably functions as subjective genitive.

[3:15]  ²⁸ tn The imperfect tense verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish be like; to resemble”) has a potential nuance here: “can be compared with.”

[3:15]  ²⁹ tn Heb “All of your desires do not compare with her.”

[3:16]  ³⁰ tn Heb “length of days” (so KJV, ASV).

[3:17]  ³¹ tn Heb “her ways are ways of pleasantness” (so KJV, NRSV). The present translation contracts this expression for the sake of smoothness. The plural of דֶרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) is repeated for emphasis. The noun נֹעַם (no’am, “pleasantness”) functions as an attributive genitive: “pleasant ways.”