PROV 2:3 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 2:1–4

The speech by Wisdom ends in 1:33. The father’s second lesson begins in 2:1. Verses 1–4 contains a series of “if” clauses. These clauses give the conditions for the desired results that begin in 2:5. The function of this paragraph is to give advice. The father wants his son to become wise.

In some languages, it may not be natural to have one long sentence with a series of “if” clauses. Another way to translate this information is to change the “if” clauses into commands. For example:

My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions (NLT96)

The series of result clauses beginning with 2:5 can then be introduced with:

Then you will understand… (NLT)

If you do all these things, you will understand…

2:3

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^3aif you truly call out to insight

^3band lift your voice to understanding

2:3a–b

(combined/reordered)

Yes/Indeed, deeply desire^(sing) to be wise.

if you truly: This verse begins with a Hebrew word that is usually translated as “for/because.” The BSB translates it as truly here. There are at least two ways to interpret this word here:

This word indicates emphasis.This view is supported by Whybray and Delitzsch. But Toy (page 33) says that the particle is merely “resumptive, and may be omitted in an English translation.” For example:
if you indeed cry out for insight (NRSV)
yes, if your plea is for clear perception (NJB) (BSB, NRSV, NJB, GW, GNT, NET, ESV)
This word does not indicate emphasis. It merely shows that the “if” clauses are being continued from 2:1. It may be omitted in translation. For example:
Cry out for wisdom (NCV) (NIV, NLT, NCV, CEV, NJPS)

Both interpretations fit the context. You may follow either one. The Display will follow interpretation (1).

call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding: To lift your voice is a more intense expression than to call out. This implies that if insight and good sense do not come immediately, you should try harder to receive them.Ross (page 912). Scholars agree that call out and lift your voice mean “to summon,” “to call for insight/understanding to come.”The Hebrew preposition used here can mean either “to” or “for.” Most English versions are ambiguous and could mean to call (to God) for insight. But Fox (page 110), Whybray (page 51), Ross (page 212), Delitzsch (page 76), and Toy (page 33) all agree that this expression means to call to insight.

In some languages, this personification may be difficult to understand. One way to translate it without using the figure of speech is:

strongly desire to gain insight/understanding

insight…understanding: In this context, since insight (Hebrew: binah) and understanding (Hebrew: tǝbunah) are parallel and since both are referred to by the single “it” in 2:4, they should be regarded simply as different words for “wisdom,” not as separate concepts.Whybray (page 51).

General Comment on 2:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts of this verse. For example:

Beg as loud as you can for good common sense (CEV)

2:3a

if you truly call out to insight

Indeed, summon^(sing) insight/discernment;
Yes, you^(sing) must want to understand things.

2:3b

and lift your voice to understanding,

plead loudly for good sense to come to you^(sing).
You must desire to act appropriately.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

אִ֣ם לַ⁠בִּינָ֣ה תִקְרָ֑א לַ֝⁠תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֶֽ⁠ךָ

if to,discernment call_out to,understanding lift voice_of,your

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: “if for insightful understanding you lift up your voice to call out”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

לַ⁠בִּינָ֣ה & לַ֝⁠תְּבוּנָ֗ה

to,discernment & to,understanding

Here Solomon speaks of calling out to receive insight and understanding as if they were people whom someone could summon. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to receive insight … to receive understanding”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

לַ֝⁠תְּבוּנָ֗ה תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֶֽ⁠ךָ

to,understanding lift voice_of,your

In many languages this sentence would need the word “if” here in order to be complete. You could supply this word from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “if for understanding you lift up your voice”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לַ⁠בִּינָ֣ה

to,discernment

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of insight, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “for what should be perceived”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לַ֝⁠תְּבוּנָ֗ה

to,understanding

See how you translated the abstract noun understanding in the previous verse.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

תִּתֵּ֥ן קוֹלֶֽ⁠ךָ

lift voice_of,your

This phrase is an idiom that refers to speaking loudly. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use an idiom from your language that does have this meaning or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “you speak with a loud voice”

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 2:3

Hebrew word order