16:17
In this proverb, the underlined parallel parts refer to the same person. They both refer to an upright person who guards his way. This person avoids evil. As a result, he protects his life.
17a
The highway of the upright leads away from evil ;
17b
he who guards his way protects his life.
Another way to state this relationship is: An upright person protects his life by avoiding evil.
16:17a
The highway of the upright: The word translated here as highway is parallel with “way” in 16:17b. Both words are metaphors. They compare a person’s conduct with a road or path. In this context, the main similarity is that a highway and an upright person both follow a straight course.
When you translate these metaphors, try to keep the idea of a person who follows a particular path in life. One way to translate this metaphor is to change it to a simile. For example:
The conduct of an honest person is like a straight road that does not turn aside toward evil.
highway: The word highway refers to a straight, main road that had no obstacles. It normally went past cities rather than turning aside to enter them. A different form of this word was also used in 15:19b to describe the “highway of the upright.” See the notes on 15:19a–b.
upright: See the note on 11:3a.
leads away from evil: In Hebrew, the word evil has two meanings that occur frequently in Proverbs. It can refer either to moral evil or to harm/misfortune, the consequence of moral evil. Most scholars feel that here it refers mainly to moral evil. Try to translate in such a way that both meanings can be understood. If that is not possible, you should focus on the meaning “wicked/evil.”
16:17b
he who guards his way: The phrase guards his way is a metaphor. It compares a person who is careful about his conduct to a person who carefully watches where he walks. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Use a phrase that can be understood both literally and figuratively. For example:
he who watches his step (Revised English Bible)
-or-
watch where you are going (Good News Translation)
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
the person who is careful about what he does
protects his life: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as protects his life means “keeps safe or preserves his life from danger.” Some other ways to express this meaning are:
preserves his life (Revised English Bible)
-or-
keeps life safe (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
protect their lives (New Century Version)
General Comment on 16:17a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parallel parts. For example:
An upright person who watches his step will stay on a good road that stays far from evil. By doing this he will protect his life.
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