9:11

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

11a For through wisdom your days will be multiplied,

11b and years will be added to your life.

There is an ellipsis in 9:11b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 9:11a. For example:

11b and ⌊through wisdom⌋ years will be added to your life

9:11a–b

your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life: In these parallel clauses, the meaning is intensified from 9:11a (days) to 9:11b (years), but both lines have the same meaning. See the preceding example for one way to indicate the intensification of meaning.

9:11a

For: The word For normally introduces the reason or motivation for a preceding statement. But here the logical connection with 9:10 is not clear. A number of versions leave the connection implied.

through wisdom your days will be multiplied: This statement indicates that a person who is wise will have a long life. Some other ways to translate this statement are:

If you live wisely, you will live a long time. (New Century Version)
-or-
You will live longer because of me (God’s Word)

through wisdom: The phrase through wisdom may be understood either as means (by means of wisdom) or cause (because of wisdom).

General Comment on 9:11a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. For example:

Wisdom will add years to your life. (Good News Translation)

See also 9:11a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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