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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Prov C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31
Prov 3 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33 V34 V35
The father started this lesson by exhorting his son to always use sound judgment, because then he would have nothing to fear (3:21–26). He then told his son what to avoid in order to be a good neighbor. He advised him to not follow the behavior of wicked people (3:27–31). The lesson ends with a series of contrasts between the way that the LORD will treat the righteous and the wicked (3:32–35).
Another heading for this section is:
How to be a good neighbor
Notice the parallelism. Each line of this verse (as well as 3:23–24) expresses a positive result of obeying the commands in 3:21.
22aThey will be life to your soul
22b and adornment to your neck.
In some languages, it may be necessary to make this connection more explicit at the beginning of 3:22a. For example:
Then they will mean life for you (GW)
If you do them, they will give you life
In some languages, the connection can be left implicit. Use a natural way in your language to indicate that the statements in 3:22a–b are the result of obeying the commands in 3:21.
They will be life to your soul
If you(sing) do that, then you will have/experience a long life,
They will give you a long life
Your obedience to these commands will result in your living a long time.
They will be life to your soul: In the phrase that the BSB translates as life to your soul, the word soul represents the whole person. The word They refers to “sound judgment and discernment” in 3:21a. This line indicates that these qualities (personified) will give the son life. It is implied that his life will be long. Other ways to translate this line are:
They will give you a long life
They will provide you with life (GNT)
Some ways to translate this line without using personification are:
Your obedience to these commands will result in your having a long life.
Because of your common sense and good planning, you will live a long time.
and adornment to your neck.
and your(sing) good character will be attractive to others like a beautiful ornament/necklace around your neck.
and will improve/beautify your character.
You will also have an attractive character.
and adornment to your neck: The meaning of this metaphor is that the virtues mentioned in 3:21 will make a person’s character attractive in the same way that an adornment/necklace makes a person look attractive. Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:
Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
They will give you…beauty like a necklace around your neck. (NCV)
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
They will beautify your character.
Similar metaphors occur in 1:9a–b. See the note there for other translation options.
Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result
וְיִֽהְי֣וּ
and,they_will_be
Here, and introduces the result of obeying the commands stated in the previous verse. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate results. You may need to start a new sentence. Alternate translation: “and this will result in them being” or “If you do this, then they will be”
Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns
וְיִֽהְי֣וּ
and,they_will_be
Here, they refers to the “prudence” and “discretion” mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and prudence and discretion will be”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ
for,self_of,your
See how you translated the same use of soul in [2:10](../02/10.md).
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
וְיִֽהְי֣וּ חַיִּ֣ים לְנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ
and,they_will_be life(pl) for,self_of,your
This phrase is an idiom that refers to having a full life, in both quality and length. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and they will allow you to have a good, long life”
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ
and,grace for,neck(s)_of,your
Here, grace refers to something that looks graceful or attractive to others. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and graceful ornaments for your neck”
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
וְ֝חֵ֗ן לְגַרְגְּרֹתֶֽיךָ
and,grace for,neck(s)_of,your
Here Solomon speaks of “prudence” and “discretion” as if they were objects that a person could wear around their neck like a necklace. The image suggests that these are valuable things that the person displays outwardly. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use similes. See how you translated a similar expression in [1:9](../01/09.md). Alternate translation: “and be attractive to others, like a necklace around your neck”
3:21-26 This passage enumerates the benefits of common sense and discernment, which are fruits of wisdom.
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.