As in so many instances, it may be necessary to render As the scripture says as “as one may read in the Scriptures” or “as one may read in a passage of Scripture.”

To enjoy life and to see good times (literally “good days”) refer primarily to life on earth in their Old Testament context; the verse is an invitation to anyone who wants to live long and happily. Here, however, these terms are understood in a Christian and eschatological way. Thus life is now understood as eternal life (verse 7) and good days as referring to the final salvation mentioned in 1.5. Despite this fact, it is perhaps best to stick as close as possible to its Old Testament context, since we are dealing here with an Old Testament quotation. Enjoy life is literally “love life,” with “love” used in the sense of “desiring to have,” “to enjoy” (compare Jerusalem Bible “have a happy life”). To see good times is literally “to see good days,” with “days” referring to an extended period of time, and “good” in the sense of “happy, prosperous” (Knox, New American Bible, Jerusalem Bible).

To enjoy life may be rendered as “to live happily” or even “to live and be happy.” In a sense to see good times is essentially equivalent to to enjoy life and may sometimes be rendered as “to experience what is good.”

The clause introduced by the indefinite pronoun Whoever may be rendered as a conditional in some languages, for example, “if anyone wants to enjoy life and wishes to see good times.”

Keep from speaking evil (literally “keep his tongue from evil”) and stop telling lies (literally “his lips from speaking deceit”) are parallel, both referring to malicious verbal activity (compare Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “must not speak evil … must stop telling lies”). “Evil” (Greek kakos) is speech which is malicious and bitter, resulting in the downgrading and shame of the person spoken of. Lies also includes deceitful and treacherous language (see further 2.1; 2.22).

Keep from speaking evil may be rendered as “keep from speaking bad about people,” and stop telling lies may simply be rendered as “stop lying” or “stop deceiving people with words.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The First Letter from Peter. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .