² sn “Glory” here may have the sense of elation and praise.

⁷ sn Hebrew word order is emphatic here. Normal word order is: verb + subject + direct object. Here it is: direct object + subject + verb (“wisdom and instruction fools despise”).

² tn The conjunction and the particle indicate that the same nuance continues here in the second colon, and so “last” has been supplied here as well.

¹ tn The participle is used substantivally here: “whoever listens” will enjoy the benefits of the instruction.

¹ tn The conjunction has the explicative use here (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §434).

² tn The term “tent” is a metonymy here referring to the contents of the tent: families.

¹ tn The imperfect tense here denotes possibility: One who holds his tongue [may be considered] discerning.

² tn The term “child” is supplied for the masculine singular adjective here.

¹ tn Heb “heart.” The idiom here means “middle”; KJV “in the midst.”

¹ tn The perfect tense with vav following the imperatives takes on the force of an imperative here.

¹ tn Heb “a man.” Here “man” is retained in the translation because the second colon mentions prostitutes.

³ tn The definite article is used here as a demonstrative, clarifying the reference to Agur.

⁴ tn Heb “the understanding of a man,” with “man” used attributively here.

³ tn The MT has אֵו (’ev), a Kethib/Qere reading. The Kethib is אוֹ (’o) but the Qere is אֵי (’ey). Some follow the Qere and take the word as a shortened form of וַֹיֵּה, “where?” This would mean the ruler would be always asking for drink (cf. ASV). Others reconstruct to אַוֵּה (’avveh, “to desire; to crave”). In either case, the verse would be saying that a king is not to be wanting/seeking alcohol.

³ tn Here “strong drink” probably refers to barley beer (cf. NIV, NCV “beer”).

² tn The verb עָנַשׁ, here a Qal infinitive construct, properly means “to fine” (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT) but is taken here to mean “to punish” in general. The infinitive functions as the subject of the clause.

⁸ tn Here too the form is the cohortative, stressing the resolution of wisdom to reveal herself to the one who responds.

¹ tn The verb means “to be scattered; to be dispersed”; here the imperfect takes a deliberative nuance in a rhetorical question.

¹ tn The conjunction vav (ו) here has the classification of alternative, “or” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §433).

¹ tn This word is a substantive that is used here as an adverbial accusative – with suddenness, at an instant.

¹ tn The literal translation “sons” works well here in view of the warning. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “children.”