PROV 2:12 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–22: Second lesson: Wisdom will spare you from the dangers of crime and adultery

Here is a summary of the advice in this section: If you accept what I teach and seek to become wise (2:1–4), you will indeed become wise, and because of your wisdom, you will know how to revere the LORD and how to do what is right. You will also be protected (2:5–11). Wisdom will protect you from wicked men (2:12–15) and from adulterous women (2:16–19). Consequently, you will follow a righteous lifestyle and enjoy a long life in your own land, but the wicked will be forced to leave their land (2:20–22).

Some other headings for this section are:

The Benefits of Wisdom (NLT)

The Rewards of Wisdom (GNT)

The rewards/benefits that wisdom gives to people

Paragraph 2:12–15

This paragraph describes the first of the evil influences from which wisdom will protect a person. Some English versions, such as the NIV, start a new paragraph here. Others, such as the BSB, NRSV, and NJB, continue the same paragraph. You may use whatever paragraph structure is more natural in your language. See the note on 2:12a for ways to connect 2:12a to 2:11b.

2:12

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^12ato deliver you from the way of evil,

^12bfrom the man who speaks perversity

There is an ellipsis in 2:12b. In some languages, the missing words will need to be supplied from 2:12a. For example:

^12b to deliver you from men whose words are perverse

The second half of 2:12b gives a specific example of the “way of evil” mentioned in 2:12a. The “man who speaks perversity” is one example of someone who lives an evil life.

2:12a

to deliver you from the way of evil,

It/They/Wisdom will keep you^(sing) from following the behavior of evil men.
Because of your wisdom, you will avoid doing what wicked people do.

to deliver you from the way of evil: In Hebrew, this verse begins with a word that is more literally “to save you.” Some ways to connect this verse to 2:11b are:

Keep the same paragraph. Continue the sentence from 2:11b, like the BSB does. For another example, the NJB has:
to keep you from the way that is evil (NJB)
Either keep the same paragraph or start a new paragraph. Start a new sentence. You may supply a subject such as “it/they,” referring to discretion/understanding in 2:11, or you may supply a general subject, such as “wisdom” from 2:10a. For example:
It will save you from the way of evil (NRSV)
Wisdom will save you from the way of evil (GW)

In this verse, wisdom is personified. The author describes wisdom as if it is a person who does something. In some languages, it may not be clear or natural to use personification. Other ways to translate this line without using this figure of speech are:

Because of your wisdom, you will be saved from the way of evil

If you are wise, you will avoid the way of evil

2:12a–b

(combined/reordered)

It/They/Wisdom will rescue/keep you^(sing) from following the paths/behavior of evil people who deceive others by their words.

2:12b

from the man who speaks perversity,

Yes, it/they/wisdom will prevent you^(sing) from deceiving others through what you say.
You will not use words that mislead/deceive others.

from the man who speaks perversity: This line gives a specific example of the kind of evil way that discretion saves a person from. Notice that some of the grammatical information from 2:12a has been left implied. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

Yes, discretion will keep you from following the behavior of men whose words are perverse.

In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “from a man speaking perversities.” It may refer to anyone who teaches or instructs with the intent of misleading someone. It may also refer more generally to anyone who uses words for evil purposes. These words often misrepresent or twist what is good and true in order to deceive others. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

from those whose words are twisted (NLT)

from those who deceive/mislead others by what they say/teach

Also see the note on “twistedness” in 2:14b.

General Comment on 2:12a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these two lines to make clear that the parallel phrases “the way of evil” and “the man who speaks perversity” are not referring to two unrelated things. See 2:12a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

[2:11–17](../02/11.md) are one long sentence. If you divide these verses into multiple sentences then you may need to repeat some phrases in order to make the meaning clear, as the UST does.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

לְ֭⁠הַצִּ֣ילְ⁠ךָ

to,deliver,you

Here Solomon speaks of “discretion” and “understanding” as if they were people who could rescue someone. He means that people who have “discretion” and “understanding” will keep themselves away from harm. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to keep you away”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

לְ֭⁠הַצִּ֣ילְ⁠ךָ

to,deliver,you

Here, to indicates that what follows is the purpose for “discretion” and “understanding” protecting a person, as stated in the previous verse. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a purpose. Alternate translation: “Discretion and understanding will protect you for the purpose of rescuing you”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מִ⁠דֶּ֣רֶךְ רָ֑ע

from_[the],way evil

This phase the way of evil could refer to: (1) the way of an evil person. This interpretation fits the context of the descriptions of evil people given in [2:12–17](../02/12.md). Alternate translation: “from the way of an evil person” (2) a way that is characterized by evil. Alternate translation: “from any evil way”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מִ⁠דֶּ֣רֶךְ

from_[the],way

Here Solomon uses way to refer to how people behave. See how you translated this use of way in [1:15](../01/15.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

רָ֑ע

evil

See how you translated the abstract noun evil in [1:16](../01/16.md).

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

מֵ֝⁠אִ֗ישׁ

from=man

Solomon is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “and to rescue you from a man”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֵ֝⁠אִ֗ישׁ

from=man

The word man here represents a type of person in general, not one particular man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an expression that would be more natural in your language. Alternate translation: “from any person”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear PROV 2:12

Hebrew word order