“Where there is no guidance, a people falls”: The word rendered “guidance” was first used in 1.5, where Revised Standard Version translated it “skill,” and Good News Translation “guidance.” In the context of this verse it refers to advice, counsel, or direction. “A people” renders a word used in the Old Testament to refer to people in general or to the citizens of a country or the inhabitants of a city in particular. “Falls”, as in verse 5, means to come to ruin or to meet with disaster. Note that Good News Translation has interpreted “people” to refer to a nation. Contemporary English Version, on the other hand, relates this line to a city: “A city without wise leaders will end up in ruin.” Bible en français courant keeps the sense general with “A people perish when they are not directed.”

“But in an abundance of counselors there is safety”: “Abundance” means “many” or “numerous”; the whole expression means the active participation of many counselors. “Counselors” renders a noun related to the verb meaning to advise or admonish. They may be advisors to a king or to anyone seeking advice. “Safety” renders a noun used in the Old Testament to refer to deliverance by God or by human effort, a military victory, national success and prosperity, or salvation in the spiritual sense. In both the context of the nation and the city the sense of “safety” is better expressed in English as “security.” See Good News Translation.

Some modern translations, however, interpret this verse as referring to a military campaign. Among these are New Jewish Publication Society Version, New English Bible, and Revised English Bible. For example, Revised English Bible says “For want of skilful strategy an army is lost; victory is the fruit of long planning.” New Revised Standard Version has changed Revised Standard Version “a people” to “a nation” and added a footnote that says “Or an army.”

Still others take this verse to refer to public policy, the manner in which a nation or city is governed; for example, Traduction Œcuménique de la Bible says “For lack of public policy [politique] a people fail; their well-being is in the number of counselors.” All of these are acceptable understandings and translations of this verse.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .