PROV 2:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

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 ὑπακούσεται σοφίας τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ παραβαλεῖς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν, παραβαλεῖς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου·
(hupakousetai sofias to ous sou, kai parabaleis kardian sou eis sunesin, parabaleis de autaʸn epi nouthetaʸsin tōi huiōi sou; )

BrTr thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.

ULT to cause your ear to be attentive to wisdom,
⇔  you incline your heart to understanding—

UST Do this by listening carefully to what is wise,
⇔ and by thinking seriously about what you should understand.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE so as to turn your ear to wisdom,
⇔ and apply your heart to understanding;

WMBB (Same as above)

NET by making your ear attentive to wisdom,
⇔ and by turning your heart to understanding,

LSV To cause your ear to attend to wisdom,
You incline your heart to understanding,

FBV if you pay attention to wisdom and really try to understand;

T4T Pay attention to wisdom
⇔ and try hard to understand it.

LEB • in order to incline your ear toward wisdom, then you shall apply your heart to understanding.

BBE So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge;

Moff bending your ear to wisdom
⇔ and applying your mind to knowledge;

JPS So that thou make thine ear attend unto wisdom, and thy heart incline to discernment;

ASV So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,
⇔ And apply thy heart to understanding;

DRA That thy ear may hearken to wisdom: Incline thy heart to know prudence:

YLT To cause thine ear to attend to wisdom, Thou inclinest thy heart to understanding,

Drby so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom [and] thou apply thy heart to understanding;

RV So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
(So that thou/you incline thine/your ear unto wisdom, and apply thine/your heart to understanding; )

SLT To attend to wisdom thou wilt incline thine ear, thy heart to understanding;

Wbstr So that thou incline thy ear to wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding;

KJB-1769 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
(So that thou/you incline thine/your ear unto wisdom, and apply thine/your heart to understanding; )

KJB-1611 So that thou incline thine eare vnto wisedome, and apply thine heart to vnderstanding:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps That thou wylt encline thine eares vnto wisdome: applye thine heart then to vnderstandyng.
(That thou/you wilt/will incline thine/your ears unto wisdom: apply thine/your heart then to understanding.)

Gnva And cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisdome, and encline thine heart to vnderstanding,
(And cause thine/your ears to hearken unto wisdom, and incline thine/your heart to understanding, )

Cvdl that thine eare maye herken vnto wysdome, applie thine herte then to vnderstodinge.
(that thine/your ear may hearken unto wisdom, apply thine/your heart then to understanding.)

Wycl that thin eere here wisdom, bowe thin herte to knowe prudence.
(that thin ear here wisdom, bow thin heart to know prudence.)

Luth so laß dein Ohr auf Weisheit achthaben und neige dein Herz mit Fleiß dazu.
(so let your(s) ear on/in/to wise_(people) eighthaben and tend/lean your(s) heart with diligence to_that/in_addition.)

ClVg ut audiat sapientiam auris tua, inclina cor tuum ad cognoscendam prudentiam.[fn]
(as hear wisdom ear your, incline/lean heart your(sg) to cognoscendam prudence. )

2.2 Audiat sapientiam. Audit non aure, etc., usque ad hoc est enim quod sequitur: Inclina cor. Inclina, humilia, munda, etc., usque ad et revelasti ea humilibus. Si enim sapientiam invocaveris. Invocare, etc., usque ad nec liberum debet abesse arbitrium.

2.2 Listenat wisdom. Listent not/no aure, etc., until to this it_is because that follows: Lean heart. Lean, humilia, clean, etc., until to and you_revealed them humilibus. When/But_if because wisdom invocaveris. Invocare, etc., until to but_not liberum must abesse choice.

SOTN 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…

2:2

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^2aif you incline your ear to wisdom

^2band direct your heart to understanding,

2:2a

if you incline your ear to wisdom

Do^(sing) this by listening carefully to the advice of wise men
The way you^(sing) can do this is to listen carefully to wise advice

2:2a–b

if you incline your ear…direct your heart: The two lines of this verse explain how a person “accepts” and “hides” the teacher’s advice.The use of participles in the NIV, RSV, REB, and NJB clearly indicate a dependent relationship that breaks the pattern of “if” clauses in 2:1 and 2:3. Waltke (page 220) and an NET footnote understand that the two lines of 2:2 further explain the meaning of 2:1. Most English versions do not make this relationship explicit. The NET expresses this relationship as follows:

by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding (NET)

The first expression, incline your ear, means to listen attentively. It also implies that a person will obey what he hears. The second expression, direct your heart, means to think seriously or concentrate on something. The heart here refers primarily to a person’s mental faculties—the ability to think and choose.

2:2b

and direct your heart to understanding,

and trying with all your^(sing) heart/mind/ability to use good sense.
and concentrate^(sing) on doing what is appropriate/right.

direct your heart to understanding: The Hebrew word tǝbunah, which the BSB translates as understanding, is a near synonym of “wisdom.” It means “good sense” or “competence” to handle the situations that a person faces in life. It is different from the word binah, which the BSB translates as “insight” in 1:2b. The word binah refers to the ability to interpret and comprehend ideas, whereas tǝbunah refers to the ability to take appropriate action.This distinction is made by Fox (pages 37–38). It is at least partly confirmed by NIDOTTE, which defines binah (H1069) as “insight” and tǝbunah (H9312) as “intelligence, aptitude, skill.” Waltke agrees with Fox that tǝbunah refers to “pragmatic insight” and “competence.” So the person addressed as “my son” should listen attentively to wise advice and think seriously or concentrate on having good sense. For example:

think what it means to have common sense (CEV)

See understanding (good sense) in the Glossary.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לְ⁠הַקְשִׁ֣יב לַֽ⁠חָכְמָ֣ה אָזְנֶ֑⁠ךָ תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּ⁠ךָ֗ לַ⁠תְּבוּנָֽה

to,make_attend to,wisdom ear_of,your inclining heart_of,your to,understanding

The word translated as to here indicates that what follows in this verse explains the means by which a person can receive the sayings and commandments mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “by causing your ear to be attentive to wisdom, and by inclining your heart to understanding”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לְ⁠הַקְשִׁ֣יב & אָזְנֶ֑⁠ךָ

to,make_attend & ear_of,your

This phrase is an idiom that refers to forcing oneself to listen carefully. 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: “force yourself to listen attentively”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לַֽ⁠חָכְמָ֣ה & לַ⁠תְּבוּנָֽה

to,wisdom & to,understanding

See how you translated the abstract nouns wisdom and understanding in [1:2](../01/02.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּ⁠ךָ֗

inclining heart_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 you incline your heart”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

תַּטֶּ֥ה לִ֝בְּ⁠ךָ֗ לַ⁠תְּבוּנָֽה

inclining heart_of,your to,understanding

The phrase incline your heart is an idiom that refers to fully committing one’s mind or will to doing something. 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: “if you fully commit yourself to gaining understanding”

Parallel PROV 2:2

Section 2:1–22: Second lesson: Wisdom will spare you from the dangers of crime and adultery

Paragraph 2:1–4

2:2

2:2a

2:2a–b

2:2b