PROV 2:21 Interlinear View

2:21 OSHB note: Marks a place where we agree with BHQ against BHS in reading L.

2:21 OSHB note: Marks an anomalous form.

2:21 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

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 2:20–22

This paragraph concludes the second lesson by giving the result (2:20) of being protected by wisdom (2:11ff). The final two verses (2:21–22) connect primarily with the chapter as a whole rather than with 2:20. They summarize the differing consequences of good and bad conduct.

2:21

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^21aFor the upright will inhabit the land,

^21band the blameless will remain in it;

2:21a–b

(combined/reordered)

Remember that people like this who obey Yahweh and do what is right will continue to live in this land.

For: This word introduces a concluding summary for the whole chapter. But this summary in 2:21–22 does not give the reason for 2:20, so some English versions leave the connection implied. For example:

Those who are honest will live in the land (NCV)

Other ways to introduce this concluding summary are:

Surely the upright will inhabit the land

If you are upright, you will live in the land

the upright…the blameless: The terms the upright and the blameless (see the note on 2:7) do not refer to two different kinds of people. Both terms refer to people who are righteous. In some languages, it may be more natural to indicate this relationship by combining and/or reordering these terms. For example:

If you are honest and innocent, you will keep your land. (CEV)

These terms are also parallel to “good” and “righteous” in 2:20. You should translate in such a way that these two sets of parallel terms are understood to refer to the same group of people. See 2:21a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for one way to do this.

inhabit the land…remain in it: A number of scholars feel that the land probably refers to the land of Canaan, which the LORD gave to the descendants of Israel.Kidner, Toy, Cook, Delitzsch, and Whybray all say that “the land” refers to the land of Canaan, the land promised to the patriarchs on the basis of numerous references in Deuteronomy, Psalm 37 and elsewhere. However, Fox (page 123) prefers the interpretation that “the land” refers to the world in general, because concern for Israel does not occur in Wisdom literature. Waltke (page 234) echoes this reason. Hubbard (page 67) also feels that physical existence is in view rather than national security. This may be why the GNT translates this phrase as:

this land of ours (GNT)

However, other scholars feel that in Proverbs, this phrase has the more general meaning “on earth” or “in the world.” The contrast in these verses is between life and death, not life in Canaan as opposed to life in exile. So it is recommended that you translate in a way that allows either meaning. You should not make Canaan or Israel explicit in your translation.

2:21a

For the upright will inhabit the land,

Surely/For those who obey Yahweh will continue to live in their own land.
If you^(sing) are a good and honest person, you will live in your land.

2:21b

and the blameless will remain in it;

Yes, truly good/honest people will reside here.
If you^(sing) consistently do what is right, you will remain here.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּֽי

that/for/because/then/when

For here indicates that what follows in [2:21–22](../02/21.md) is the reason for what was stated in [2:11–20](../02/11.md). Use an expression for this that is natural in your language. See how you translated a similar use of For in [1:32](../01/32.md). Alternate translation: “Do this, because”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

יְשָׁרִ֥ים יִשְׁכְּנוּ אָ֑רֶץ וּ֝⁠תְמִימִ֗ים יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽ⁠הּ

upright inhabit land and,blameless_[people] remain in,it

These two phrases mean similar things. The author is using repetition to emphasize the idea that the phrases express. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the phrases and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “the blameless, upright ones will remain to dwell in the land”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יִשְׁכְּנוּ אָ֑רֶץ & יִוָּ֥תְרוּ בָֽ⁠הּ

inhabit land & remain in,it

Here, the land and it could refer to: (1) the land of Israel, which God had given to the Jewish people and which Solomon was ruling over when he wrote these proverbs. Alternate translation: “will dwell in the land of Israel … will remain in Israel” or “will dwell in our land … will remain in our land” (2) the earth in general, in which case this would refer to staying alive. Alternate translation: “will dwell on the earth … will remain alive on the earth”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ֝⁠תְמִימִ֗ים

and,blameless_[people]

Here, blameless ones refers to people who do what is right. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and the people who do what is right”

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