3:22
Notice the parallelism. Each line of this verse (as well as 3:23–24) expresses a positive result of obeying the commands in 3:21.
22a They will be life to your soul
22b
and adornment to your neck.
In some languages, it may be necessary to make this connection more explicit at the beginning of 3:22a. For example:
Then they will mean life for you (God’s Word)
-or-
⌊If you do them,⌋ they will give you life
In some languages, the connection can be left implicit. Use a natural way in your language to indicate that the statements in 3:22a–b are the result of obeying the commands in 3:21.
3:22a
They will be life to your soul: In the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as life to your soul, the word soul represents the whole person. The word They refers to “sound judgment and discernment” in 3:21a. This line indicates that these qualities (personified) will give the son life. It is implied that his life will be long. Other ways to translate this line are:
They will give you ⌊a long⌋ life
-or-
They will provide you with life (Good News Translation)
Some ways to translate this line without using personification are:
Your obedience to these commands will result in your having a long life.
-or-
Because of your common sense and good planning, you will live a long time.
3:22b
and adornment to your neck: The meaning of this metaphor is that the virtues mentioned in 3:21 will make a person’s character attractive in the same way that an adornment/necklace makes a person look attractive. Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
They will give you…beauty like a necklace around your neck. (New Century Version)
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
They will beautify your character.
Similar metaphors occur in 1:9a–b. See the note there for other translation options.
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