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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 ESA 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 4 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27
In this lesson, the father compares two lifestyles by using the metaphor of two paths. After an opening admonition to listen to his teaching (4:10), he describes the benefits of walking in the way of wisdom (4:11–13). He then describes the way of evil (4:14–17), and concludes by contrasting the two paths (4:18–19). Since the figure of walking on a path is used throughout this lesson, it is recommended that you keep this figurative idea if possible.
Some other headings for this section are:
Stay on the Path of Wisdom (GW)
The Right Way and the Wrong Way (CEV)
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. There are three parallel commands followed by the reason for obeying them.
13a Hold on to instruction; do not let go.
13b Guard it, for it is your life.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it: For the meaning of Guard, see the note on 3:21a–b. In that verse, the BSB translates the same Hebrew word as “preserve.” The parallel verb phrases Hold on to, do not let go, and Guard are used figuratively. In some languages, it may be clearer to use a combination of nonfigurative phrases, such as:
Always remember (GNT)
do not forget
don’t forsake (NLT96)
obey/follow
Use whatever phrases will give proper emphasis in your language. It may not be necessary to use three phrases.
Hold on to instruction; do not let go.
Always remember what you(sing) have learned. Never forget it.
Do not forsake what I have taught you, but rather remember it
instruction: The word instruction may be translated as a verb phrase. For example:
what you have learned (GNT)
what you have been taught (NCV)
In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit who the teacher is. For example:
my teaching (CEV)
The word instruction last occurred in 4:1a. See discipline in the Glossary.
Guard it, for it is your life.
Guard it carefully, because it is a source of life for you(sing).
and obey it, because it will help you to live/have a better life.
it is your life: The clause it is your life is similar to 3:22a. The figurative meaning is that these instructions give life or are a source of life for the one who follows them. The nonfigurative meaning is that the person who follows these instructions will have a better or longer life.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
הַחֲזֵ֣ק בַּמּוּסָ֣ר אַל־תֶּ֑רֶף
hold_on on,discipline not go
Here Solomon speaks of a person remembering instruction as if it were an object that the person could grasp and not let go. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated grasp in [3:18](../03/18.md). Alternate translation: “Keep on remembering instruction; do not forget it”
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns
בַּמּוּסָ֣ר
on,discipline
See how you translated the abstract noun instruction in [1:2](../01/02.md).
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives
אַל־תֶּ֑רֶף
not go
Solomon is using a double negative, consisting of the negative particle not and the negative idea let go. If it would be clearer in your language, you could use a positive expression to translate this. Alternate translation: “keep holding on”
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
נִ֝צְּרֶ֗הָ
keep,her
Here Solomon speaks of instruction as if it were an object that someone should guard. He means that he wants his son to remember to do what he has taught him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated a similar use of guard in [3:21](../03/21.md). Alternate translation: “remember to practice it”
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
הִ֥יא חַיֶּֽיךָ
she/it your(ms)=life
Here Solomon speaks of instruction preserving a person’s life as if instruction were that person’s life itself. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “it will preserve your life”
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.