The opening connector “For” presents verses 35 and 36 as the reason why young people should heed the advice given in verses 32-34.

“He who finds me finds life”: For similar expressions see 3.2, 13, 18; 4.22; 8.17. “Finds life” is an expression that requires some adjustments in translation, as “finds life” is not the same as locating something that is misplaced. “Finds life” returns to the theme of long life in 3.2 and may be rendered “He who finds me finds a long life” or “He who discovers who I am will be given a long life.” If you are using the second person, this may be rendered, for example, “If you find me, you will be given a long life.” The plural “those who. . .” is also a suitable translation in many languages; see Good News Translation.

“And obtains favor from the Lord“: “Favor” or “acceptance” is what the Lord gives. We may translate, for example, “and the Lord will accept you” or “and the Lord will be pleased with you.”

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 .

“On the lips of him who has understanding wisdom is found”: “The lips”, like “the mouth” in verse 11, refers to words and thoughts. “Understanding”, as in 1.5, refers to intelligence, good sense, good judgment. “Wisdom” is close in meaning to “understanding”. See the discussion in 1.1-7. “Is found” may often need to be expressed actively. See the model after the discussion of the second line.

“But a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense”: “A rod” is a symbol of punishment. The word is the same as that used in Psa 23.4 for the club used to defend the sheep. Here the “rod” refers to a slender, flexible cane used for beating a prisoner or punishing someone. “Lacks sense” is literally “lacks heart,” where “heart” refers to intelligence or right thinking. See 6.32. “For the back” means that the cane is applied to his back or he is beaten on his back.

Here again the second line is not a very clear parallel with the first. This line is almost the same as 26.3b, where “fools” replaces “him who lacks sense”. The essential contrast in our verse may be expressed, for example, “People recognize the wisdom in the speech of an intelligent person, but they punish anyone who speaks stupidly.”

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 .

This verse is a clear statement about two kinds of people.

“He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets”: “A talebearer”, which is literally “worker of slander,” means someone who goes about spreading gossip or bad reports about others. “Reveals secrets”, that is, makes public those things about people that for the good of the community need not be known. This can refer to such things as the private lives of people. The contrast is between the “talebearer” and the person in the second line who is “trustworthy”. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy tersely translates this line as “The gossiper tells everything.”

“But he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden”: “Trustworthy in spirit” refers to a reliable or dependable person, someone we can trust or place full confidence in. “Keeps . . . hidden” means that this person keeps to himself or herself private information about other people for the good of the life of the community. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates this line as “The discreet person keeps a secret.”

Contemporary English Version renders the verse “A gossip tells everything, but a true friend will keep a secret.”

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 .

The two lines of this saying are similar in sense rather than contrasting. The thought expressed is that a person is rewarded for speaking and doing the right thing.

“From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good”: “The fruit of his words” is literally “fruit of his mouth.” As in 13.2, it refers to his words, the things he says. “Satisfied with good” refers to receiving material rewards or wealth. New Revised Standard Version calls them “good things” and Good News Translation “your reward.” We may translate this line, for example, “You are rewarded according to what you say” or “The good things you get depend on what you say to others.” Bible en français courant translates “A person can obtain success from his words.”

“And the work of a man’s hand comes back to him”: “Work of . . . hand” refers to the work or other activity that a person does. In many languages “hand” is redundant in this context. “Comes back to him” means he benefits, receives rewards.

Two translations of the verse that may serve as models are: “Whoever speaks well lives well because of it; whoever does well gains from it” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Or:
“A person can obtain success from his words just as a person is assured wages from his labor” (Bible en français courant).

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 .

This saying as well as verse 20 has instruction or wisdom as its theme, but verse 18 focuses on a particular social and economic situation.

“Poverty and disgrace come to him who ignores instruction”: This line says literally “Poverty and shame [to one] ignoring instruction.” Revised Standard Version “come to” is supplied to make the connection to “one ignoring instruction.” “Poverty” refers to a lack of the necessities of material life; while “disgrace” or dishonor is loss of social respect, being socially discredited or shamed. In 3.35 “honor” (Hebrew kavod, a term suggesting wealth) stands in contrast to “disgrace,” the same Hebrew term used in this verse. “Instruction” renders a term first used in 1.2, 3, and 7. In 12.1, which is a saying similar to this, the word rendered here as “instruction” is translated as “discipline.”

“Poverty”, the economic condition, and “disgrace”, the social disapproval, are said to result from ignoring, that is, paying no attention to or rejecting, the “instruction” or teaching of the wise. Many translations make “Poverty and disgrace” the consequence of ignoring instruction; for example, New English Bible “To refuse correction brings poverty and contempt,” and Bible en français courant “He who refuses to be taught will be poor and disgraced.” We may also say, for example, “If you reject the teachings of the wise, you will end up poor and ashamed.”

“But he who heeds reproof is honored”: For “heeds reproof” see its use in a similar expression in 1.23. “Honored” (see comment in line 1) contrasts with both “Poverty” and “disgrace” in line 1, especially where the word translated “honored” has the sense of possessing wealth. This line may be translated, for example, “but if you listen to advice, people will respect you.”

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 .

“A truthful witness saves lives”: This saying is similar to verse 5. See also 6.19; 19.5, 9; and 21.28. “A truthful witness”, that is, a trial witness who reports the truth about a falsely accused person, may save the accused from suffering or being put to death. Good News Translation offers a model translation of this line. Contemporary English Version says “An honest witness can save your life.” We may also say, for example, “If you tell the truth in court, you can save somebody’s life.”

“But one who utters lies is a betrayer”: This person contrasts with the “truthful witness” in line 1. “Utters lies” is the same as “breathes out lies” in verse 5. “Is a betrayer” is literally “is deceit.” Refer to 12.5 where Revised Standard Version uses “treacherous.” To betray means to deliver someone to an enemy or to desert someone in a time of need. In this saying the liar betrays the falsely accused by not speaking the truth before the judge or, as Contemporary English Version says, “but liars can’t be trusted.”

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 .

This verse is a variant of 11.14.

“Without counsel plans go wrong”: The term “counsel” refers to “advice,” “recommendations,” “suggestions.” “Plans”, as in 6.18, refers to “devices” or “schemes,” but taken here in a good sense. “Go wrong” means “fail” or “fail to succeed.”

“But with many advisers they succeed”: “Many” translates the same word as rendered “multitude” in 14.28. “Advisers”, which is parallel with “counsel” in the first line, is from the same verb as used in 13.10, where “take advice” is used. The reference to “they” in this line is to “plans” made for the community by the members of the community. “Succeed” means to have a satisfactory outcome. In some languages this idea is expressed as “to end off well,” “to finish in a good way,” or “to have a happy end.”

In many languages terms like “counsel” and “plans” must be expressed as what people do or say. One rendering of the verse which does this is: “If you want to do some work, you must first get the ideas of other people, then your work will go ahead well. If you don’t do this, you will work hard for nothing.”

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 .

“The wise of heart” “is called a man of discernment”: “The wise of heart” refers to someone who is wise in their mind, that is, a mature person capable of good judgment. In some languages such a person is referred to as “a person with a ripe liver” or “a person whose heart is right.” “Wise of heart” and “man of discernment” have about the same meaning, and so some interpreters find this line to be awkward. “Man of discernment” is rendered “man of understanding” in 1.5. See there for comments. It is probably best to take “is called” to be equivalent to “is” and so understand that “The wise of heart” is a person of understanding; or we may say, for example, “A person of mature judgment has understanding.” See Good News Translation.

“And pleasant speech increases persuasiveness”: “Pleasant speech” is literally “sweetness of the lips” and refers to the kind of speech that influences other persons’ behavior. Translators must be careful in the literal use of this image, since in other languages it often means “deceitful talk” or “seductive speech.” “Increases persuasiveness” renders a phrase used in 1.5 to mean “adds to knowledge” (Good News Translation). See also 9.9. In this verse the “pleasant speech”, that is, the artfulness of his talk, its beauty, makes a person’s arguments more convincing. In some languages this line must be adjusted to say, for example, “and if his speech is pleasant to hear, people will agree with what he says,” or “. . . people will say ‘yes’ to what he says.”

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 .