PROV 4:26 Parallel Verse View

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

OET (OET-RV) Make the path level for your footsteps,
⇔ and let everything you do be straight-forward.

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 Ὀρθὰς τροχιὰς ποίει σοῖς ποσί, καὶ τὰς ὁδούς σου κατεύθυνε.
(Orthas troⱪias poiei sois posi, kai tas hodous sou kateuthune. )

Instead of make level some scholars read the Hebrew word as examine.

UST Plan carefully to do things in the right way.
⇔ As a result of doing so, you will succeed in everything that you do.

4:26 Or Ponder the path for your feet; LXX Make straight paths for your feet; cited in Hebrews 12:13

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Make the path of your feet level.
⇔ Let all of your ways be established.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(23-27)Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
  that’s where life starts.
Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth;
  avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead;
  ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
  and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
  leave evil in the dust.

NET Make the path for your feet level,
⇔ so that all your ways may be established.

LSV Ponder the path of your feet,
And all your ways [are] established.

FBV Pay attention to the path you decide to follow, and you'll be safe wherever you go.

T4T Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do,
⇔ and then stay on that road.
⇔ Then what you do will be right.

LEB • May the path of your foot be balanced and all your ways be sure.

BBE Keep a watch on your behaviour; let all your ways be rightly ordered.

Moff keep a clear path before you,
⇔ and ever make your footing firm;

JPS Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

ASV Make level the path of thy feet,
⇔ And let all thy ways be established.

DRA Make straight the path for thy feet, and all thy ways shall be established.

YLT Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.

Drby Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered.

RV Make level the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
(Make level the path of thy/your feet, and let all thy/your ways be established. )

SLT Make level the track of thy feet, and all thy ways shall be prepared.

Wbstr Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

KJB-1769 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.[fn]
(Ponder the path of thy/your feet, and let all thy/your ways be established. )

4.26 let…: or, all thy ways shall be ordered aright

KJB-1611 [fn]Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy wayes be established.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

4:26 Or, all thy wayes shalbe ordered aright.

Bshps Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy wayes be ordred aright.
(Ponder the path of thy/your feet, and let all thy/your ways be ordered aright.)

Gnva Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
(Ponder the path of thy/your feet, and let all thy/your ways be ordered aright. )

Cvdl Podre the path of thy fete, so shal all yi wayes be sure.
(Podre the path of thy/your feet, so shall all ye/you_all ways be sure.)

Wycl Dresse thou pathis to thi feet, and alle thi weies schulen be stablischid.
(Dresse thou/you paths to thy/your feet, and all thy/your ways should be stablischid.)

Luth Laß deinen Fuß gleich vor sich gehen, so gehest du gewiß.
(Let your(s) foot even before/in_front_of itself/yourself/themselves go, so go you(sg) certainly.)

ClVg Dirige semitam pedibus tuis, et omnes viæ tuæ stabilientur.[fn]
(Direct path feet yours, and everyone ways/roads yours stabilientur. )

4.26 Stabilientur. Ne levitate mentis a proposito bono movearis, unde Apostolus: Stabiles estote et immobiles, abundantes in opere Domini semper I Cor. 15..

4.26 Stabilientur. Don't levitate of_the_mind from proposito good movearis, from_where/who Apostolus: Stabiles be and immobiles, abundant in/into/on by_work Master always I Cor. 15..

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:20–27: Seventh Lesson: Concentrate on following a righteous lifestyle

This section begins with the typical introduction (4:20–22). The father/teacher then exhorts his son/student to follow a righteous life. He mentions different parts of the body (ear, heart, mouth, eyes, feet) to emphasize that doing what is right involves the whole person (4:23–27).

Another possible heading for this section is:

Always doing what is right

4:26

Verse 4:26a gives a command. Verse 4:26b gives the result of obeying the command. The RSV has been used as the source line for the first line, because it follows the recommended interpretation.

^26aTake heed to the path of your feet, (RSV)

^26band all your ways will be sure.

4:26a

Make a level path for your feet,

Look carefully at the path you^(sing) will follow.
Think/Plan carefully what you will do.

(RSV) Take heed to the path of your feet: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew verb that is used here. Both are figurative:

“Carefully consider the path of your feet.” The figurative meaning is: Plan carefully what you will do. For example:
Survey the course you take (NJPS) (REB, RSV, NJPS, GNT, CEV, NCV)The GW and NLT express the idea of considering or walking on a straight path. For example, the GW says: “Carefully walk a straight path.” These versions have not been listed under either interpretation because they include aspects of both interpretations.
“Make level/straight the path of your feet.” The figurative meaning is: Remove any obstacles to moral progress as you proceed through life. For example:
Keep straight the path of your feet (NRSV) (BSB, NIV, NRSV, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits better with the preceding and following contexts of looking straight ahead and not swerving off the right path.The first interpretation is supported by Waltke, Kidner, Whybray, Scott, McKane, and Cohen. The second interpretation is supported by Fox, Toy, Ross, and Delitzsch.

Other ways to translate this command are:

Keep the figurative idea of a path or a journey. For example:
Carefully consider the path that you will take.
Know where you are headed (CEV)
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
Be careful what you do (NCV)

4:26b

and all your ways will be sure.

If you do that, then you^(sing) will stay on solid ground.
Then whatever you do will have a good outcome.

and all your ways will be sure: There are two ways to interpret this line:

This line is a statement that gives the result of obeying the command in the first line. For example:
and your ways will be secure (REB) (BSB, RSV, REB, NJPS, GNT, CEV, GW)
This line is an additional command. For example:
stay on the safe path (NLT) (NIV, NJB, NLT, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation follows normal Hebrew grammatical patterns.The first interpretation is supported by Fox, Scott, Whybray, McKane, and an NET footnote. See Fox (page 187) and the NET footnote for two grammatical reasons that support this interpretation. The second interpretation is supported by Toy, Waltke, and Delitzsch.

In Hebrew, the verb will be sure is literally “will be firm/stable/established.” This figure of speech refers to walking on solid ground. The nonfigurative meaning is that your actions will have a safe or successful outcome.

Some ways to translate this line are:

Retain the figure of speech. For example:
and you will stay on solid ground (CEV)
State the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
all your ways will prosper (NJPS)
whatever you do will turn out right (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

פַּ֭לֵּס מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑⁠ךָ

keep_straight path_of your_foot_of,of

Here Solomon speaks of being careful how one lives as if someone were making the ground in front of them flat for walking on it. See how you translated the same use of track in [2:9](../02/09.md). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Be careful how you live” or “Take heed to what you are doing”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

מַעְגַּ֣ל רַגְלֶ֑⁠ךָ

path_of your_foot_of,of

Here, the word foot represents the whole person who is walking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “your track”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וְֽ⁠כָל

and=all

Here, and introduces the result of obeying the command stated in the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate result. You may need to start a new sentence. Alternate translation: “If you do this, then all” or “The result will be that all”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דְּרָכֶ֥י⁠ךָ

ways_of,your

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

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יִכֹּֽנוּ

sure

Here Solomon speaks of person’s life being successful as if that person were walking safely on solid ground. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “will be successful”

Parallel PROV 4:26

Section 4:20–27: Seventh Lesson: Concentrate on following a righteous lifestyle

4:26

4:26a

4:26b