Paragraph 2:12–15

This paragraph describes the first of the evil influences from which wisdom will protect a person. Some English versions, such as the New International Version, start a new paragraph here. Others, such as the Berean Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, and New Jerusalem Bible, continue the same paragraph. You may use whatever paragraph structure is more natural in your language. See the note on 2:12a for ways to connect 2:12a to 2:11b.

2:12

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

12a to deliver you from the way of evil,

12b from the man who speaks perversity

There is an ellipsis in 2:12b. In some languages, the missing words will need to be supplied from 2:12a. For example:

12b
⌊to deliver you⌋ from men whose words are perverse

The second half of 2:12b gives a specific example of the “way of evil” mentioned in 2:12a. The “man who speaks perversity” is one example of someone who lives an evil life.

2:12a

to deliver you from the way of evil: In Hebrew, this verse begins with a word that is more literally “to save you.” Some ways to connect this verse to 2:11b are:

• Keep the same paragraph. Continue the sentence from 2:11b, like the Berean Standard Bible does. For another example, the New Jerusalem Bible has:

to keep you from the way that is evil (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Either keep the same paragraph or start a new paragraph. Start a new sentence. You may supply a subject such as “it/they,” referring to discretion/understanding in 2:11, or you may supply a general subject, such as “wisdom” from 2:10a. For example:

It will save you from the way of evil (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Wisdom will save you from the way of evil (God’s Word)

In this verse, wisdom is personified. The author describes wisdom as if it is a person who does something. In some languages, it may not be clear or natural to use personification. Other ways to translate this line without using this figure of speech are:

Because of your wisdom, you will be saved from the way of evil
-or-
If you are wise, you will avoid the way of evil

2:12b

from the man who speaks perversity: This line gives a specific example of the kind of evil way that discretion saves a person from. Notice that some of the grammatical information from 2:12a has been left implied. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

⌊Yes, discretion will keep you⌋ from following the behavior of men whose words are perverse.

In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “from a man speaking perversities.” It may refer to anyone who teaches or instructs with the intent of misleading someone. It may also refer more generally to anyone who uses words for evil purposes. These words often misrepresent or twist what is good and true in order to deceive others. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

from those whose words are twisted (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
from those who deceive/mislead others by what they say/teach

Also see the note on “twistedness” in 2:14b.

General Comment on 2:12a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these two lines to make clear that the parallel phrases “the way of evil” and “the man who speaks perversity” are not referring to two unrelated things. See 2:12a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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