“Do not swerve to the right or to the left”: “Swerve” translates a form of a verb meaning “to turn.” This refers to deviating or turning from a straight line course. Verses 24-26 advise the learner to speak straight, look straight, and walk straight. In verse 27 the command is to avoid turning or moving suddenly away from the straight line ahead. “Right” and “left” do not refer here to any quality such as good or bad. Together they serve to make clear that no turning away from the straight line is permitted.

“Turn your foot away from evil”: Note that Good News Translation begins the verse with this clause, rendering it “Avoid evil.” It then picks up the beginning of the first line “and walk straight ahead.” The second part of the first line is then rendered “Don’t go one step off the right way.” Bible en français courant is also a good model: “Do not stray, neither to the left nor to the right. Keep yourself from evil.”

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 .