“The highway of the upright turns aside from evil”: The word rendered “highway” refers to a road that is built higher than the land next to it. It is not used of city streets and has the sense of being free of obstacles. “Upright”, first used in 2.7, refers to persons who live in the right way or practice right conduct. “Turns away from evil” means “avoids evil.” Although “evil” often means “wickedness,” here it should probably be understood as “harm,” “danger,” or “trouble.” In some languages it is necessary to say, for example, “Those who are upright walk on a straight path and avoid danger.”

“He who guards his way preserves his life”: This line repeats the thought expressed in the first line. It says literally “he who keeps his soul [is] he who watches his way.” The sense of this line is that by watching your step you are able to avoid the dangers in life and thereby maintain your life. Another way to express the full saying is: “The person of right conduct avoids misfortune, and the one who is careful in his conduct saves his life.”

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 .