PROV 23:26 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

23:26 OSHB variant note: תרצנה: (x-qere) ’תִּצֹּֽרְנָה’: lemma_5341 n_0 morph_HVqj3fp id_20RFy תִּצֹּֽרְנָה

23:26 OSHB note: Adaptations to a Qere which L and BHS, by their design, do not indicate.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Δός μοι υἱὲ σὴν καρδίαν, οἱ δὲ σοὶ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐμὰς ὁδοὺς τηρείτωσαν.
(Dos moi huie saʸn kardian, hoi de soi ofthalmoi emas hodous taʸreitōsan. )

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE My son, give me your heart;
⇔ and let your eyes keep in my ways.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Give me your heart, my son,
⇔ and let your eyes observe my ways;

LSV Give, my son, your heart to me,
And let your eyes watch my ways.

FBV My son, give me your undivided attention, and cheerfully follow my example.

T4T My son, heed what I say to you,
⇔ and allow what I do to be an example for you.

LEB • My child, may you give your heart[fn] to me, and may your eyes delight in my ways.

23:? Or “mind”

BBE My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes take delight in my ways.

Moff Attend to me, my son,
⇔ mark my injunctions:

JPS My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

ASV My son, give me thy heart;
⇔ And let thine eyes delight in my ways.

DRA My son, give me thy heart: and let thy eyes keep my ways.

YLT Give, my son, thy heart to me, And let thine eyes watch my ways.

Drby My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

RV My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes delight in my ways.
(My son, give me thine/your heart, and let thine/your eyes delight in my ways. )

SLT My son, thou shalt give thy heart to me, and thine eyes shall delight in my way.

Wbstr My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe my ways.

KJB-1769 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
(My son, give me thine/your heart, and let thine/your eyes observe my ways. )

KJB-1611 My sonne, giue me thine heart, and let thine eyes obserue my wayes.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps My sonne geue me thyne heart, and let thyne eyes haue pleasure in my wayes:
(My son give me thine/your heart, and let thine/your eyes have pleasure in my ways:)

Gnva My sonne, giue mee thine heart, and let thine eyes delite in my wayes.
(My son, give me thine/your heart, and let thine/your eyes delight in my ways. )

Cvdl My sonne, geue me thyne herte, and let thine eyes haue pleasure in my wayes.
(My son, give me thine/your heart, and let thine/your eyes have pleasure in my ways.)

Wycl My sone, yyue thin herte to me, and thin iyen kepe my weyes.
(My son, give thin heart to me, and thin eyes keep my weyes.)

Luth Gib mir, mein Sohn, dein Herz und laß deinen Augen meine Wege wohlgefallen.
(Give to_me, my son, your(s) heart and let your(s) eyes my ways well-liked.)

ClVg Præbe, fili mi, cor tuum mihi, et oculi tui vias meas custodiant.
(Præbe, son my, heart your(sg) to_me, and eyes yours(sg) ways/roads of_mine they_guard. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 22:17–24:22: Here are thirty sayings of wise people

This section follows the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (10:1–22:16). It differs in significant ways from this preceding section:These differences were summarized from a number of commentaries, including UBS (page 472), Waltke (2004, page 22), and Hubbard (page 351).

The preceding section has mostly two-line proverbs that are one verse in length. This section has proverbs of a different form. They are sayings that range from one to seven verses. Most of the sayings are two or three verses in length. Each saying will be marked as a separate paragraph in the Notes.
Many of the proverbs in the preceding section express a general principle. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. Most of the sayings here contain direct commands. They advise the reader or listener either to follow wise behavior or avoid foolish behavior. Most of the sayings also give a reason or motive for following the command.
As in chapters 1–9, the author addresses his reader or listener as a father who advises his son. He uses second person commands and pronouns (you^(sing)). See the note on 23:15 for a list of verses where the words “my son” occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

Thirty Wise Sayings (CEV)

Words of the Wise (ESV)

Thirty Sayings of the Wise (NIV11)

Verse 22:20 mentions “thirty sayings,” but the Hebrew text itself does not number the sayings. Some versions that use the word “thirty” in the section heading also give a number as a separate heading for each saying. The GNT and CEV start numbering the sayings at 22:22. They have a total of thirty-one paragraphs. In these versions, the first paragraph (22:17–21) serves as an introduction to the thirty sayings (22:22–24:22).Scholars who identify 22:17–21 as the first saying include Hubbard (page 352), Fox (page 707), and Waltke (2004, page 22). Scholars who identify these verses as an introduction to the sayings that follow include Whybray (page 325) and Murphy (page 170). See also the NET footnote (b) on 22:16. Whether these introductory verses form the first saying or simply introduce the following sayings, all scholars agree that they function as an introduction to the whole section. Other versions, such as the NIV, NCV, and NLT, divide the paragraphs in the same way but do not have separate headings for each section. You may use either option in your translation.The NIV11 gives a number as a separate heading for each saying. But it counts the first paragraph as the first saying, and has a total of thirty paragraphs. Other versions have more or fewer paragraphs. For example, the ESV and NRSV have fifteen paragraphs. The NJB has thirty-four. Still other versions, such as the RSV, NET, and NJPS, do not group the verses into sayings or paragraphs.

For the convenience of those who decide to identify the number of each saying in their translation, the Notes will put the number in the paragraph headings, using the same numbering system as the GNT or CEV. These numbers will not be used in the Display.

Paragraph 23:26–28 Saying 17

This saying begins with a general command: the father urges his son to carefully follow his advice (23:26). This command applies specifically to Saying 17, but it may also introduce Saying 18.According to Toy (page 436), the admonition in 23:26 applies to both of the topics that follow. In 23:27–28, the father warns his son about the dangers of getting involved with an immoral woman.

23:26

This verse contains parallel commands that are similar in meaning. They refer to inner and outer parts of the body. Together they emphasize that the son should heed his father’s instruction and follow his example.

^26aMy son, give me your heart

^26band let your eyes delight in my ways,

23:26a

My son, give me your heart,

¶ My son, pay close attention to me,
¶ My child, listen carefully to what I tell/advise you^(sing).

My son: See how you translated this phrase in 23:15.

give me your heart: In Hebrew and in English, this command has a figurative meaning. It indicates here that the son should pay close attention to his father. He should listen to him carefully and heed his advice. Another way to translate this command is:

Pay close attention, son (GNT)

For similar commands that use the word heart, see the note for 23:19b.

23:26b

and let your eyes delight in my ways.

and let my way of life be what you^(sing) follow.
Continue to observe and imitate my character/conduct.

and let your eyes delight in my ways: There is a textual issue here with the verb that the BSB translates as delight in. There are two options in the Masoretic Text:This textual issue involves the difference between the reading/pronunciation recommended by the Masoretes (Qere) tiṣṣorǝnah, option (1) and what is written in the MT (Kethib) tirṣenah, option (2). See Soulen (page 100) for more information on Qere/Kethib issues.

The first option is the verb “observe” or “keep.” It means that the son should observe and follow his father’s character and conduct. For example:
and let your eyes observe my ways (ESV) (ESV, KJV, NCV, NET, NJPS, NRSV, NAB, NIV, GNT)
The second option is the verb “delights in.” It means that the son should take pleasure in his father’s character and conduct. For example:
let your eyes take pleasure in my way (NJB) (BSB, CEV, GW, NASB, NIV11, NJB, NLT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions. The LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, and Targum also follow this option. However, option (2) also has good version and commentary support.Commentaries that favor option (1) include Toy (page 437), Kidner (page 153), Whybray (page 339), and Longman (page 429). HOTTP favors the Kethib, but gives it a “C” rating, indicating considerable doubt. Waltke (page 247) gives the best arguments in favor of the Kethib, including usage of this word elsewhere in Proverbs with “way” as its object (16:7). McKane (page 389) merely observes that the Qere probably offers no advantages. If you use footnotes for textual issues, you may want to add a footnote. For example:

Another way to understand the meaning of these words in Hebrew is: “may you delight in my conduct.”

Some other ways to translate the meaning of option (1) are:

and watch closely what I do (NCV)

and let my life be your example (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

[23:26](../23/26.md)–[28](../23/28.md) is Saying 17 of the 30 “words of the wise ones.”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

תְּנָֽ⁠ה & לִבְּ⁠ךָ֣ לִ֑⁠י

give, & heart_of,your to=me

Here, the writer refers to paying careful attention to someone as if the son were to give his heart to him. The word heart here refers to a person’s mind, as in [2:2](../02/02.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “pay careful attention to me”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / declarative

וְ֝⁠עֵינֶ֗י⁠ךָ דְּרָכַ֥⁠י תִּצֹּֽרְנָה

and,your_two's_of,eyes ways_of,my (Some words not found in UHB: give, my_son_of,O heart_of,your to=me and,your_two's_of,eyes ways_of,my observe )

The writer is using an appeal statement to give a command. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate these words using a command form. Alternate translation: “and make your eyes watch my ways”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וְ֝⁠עֵינֶ֗י⁠ךָ & תִּצֹּֽרְנָה

and,your_two's_of,eyes & (Some words not found in UHB: give, my_son_of,O heart_of,your to=me and,your_two's_of,eyes ways_of,my observe )

Here, eyes represent the whole person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and may you look carefully at”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דְּרָכַ֥⁠י

ways_of,my

See how you translated the same use of ways in [3:6](../03/06.md).

Parallel PROV 23:26

Section 22:17–24:22: Here are thirty sayings of wise people

Paragraph 23:26–28 Saying 17

23:26

23:26a

23:26b