Paragraph 8:32–36

This paragraph concludes Wisdom’s speech with a final appeal that people follow her teaching. If they do, they will be blessed with life and with the LORD’s favor. If they refuse, the result will be harm and death.

8:32a

Now therefore, my sons, listen to me: In giving her concluding appeal, Wisdom addresses her audience as my sons. The phrase Now therefore introduces a conclusion that is based on the preceding description of Wisdom’s good qualities and high status. Another way to introduce this conclusion is:

And so, my children (New Living Translation (2004))

listen: See the note on 1:8a.

8:32b

for blessed are those who keep my ways: In this line Wisdom introduces the motivation or reason for listening to her appeal. It is because those who follow her advice are blessed. In some languages, the relationship between 8:32a and 8:32b may be clear without an explicit conjunction. In other languages, a word such as “because/for” may need to be made explicit.

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blessed more accurately means “happy,” as in the New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and several other English versions. It is not the same Hebrew word that is used when a person is blessed by the LORD.

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