Paragraph 7:6–9

In this paragraph, the father first describes the location from which he watched a married woman begin to seduce a young man. He then describes the young man and the situation he was in before he actually met the woman.

7:6

For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice: This verse introduces the narrator’s story by describing the location from which he observed the events that follow. In many languages it is not natural to begin a story so abruptly. The Good News Translation makes a general time setting explicit by starting the sentence with:

Once I was looking… (Good News Translation)

Notice, however, that the specific time setting, “…as the dark of night set in,” is given in 7:9. See the General Comment on 7:6–9 at the end of 7:9a–b for some ways to reorder the time setting so that it is described at the beginning of the story.

For at the window…through the lattice: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as window refers to an opening that was usually high up in the wall. In this case the window was protected by a lattice, vine-covered trellis, or “shutters” (New Century Version), so that the person inside could look out without being seen from the outside.

I looked through: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as looked through usually means to look down from a height. So it is probable that the narrator was looking down from an upper-story window. Everywhere that this verb occurs, it seems to indicate extended watching rather than a single glance.

In languages where shutters or lattices are unknown, these ideas may be translated by using more general terms. For example:

I was peering down through the window of my house.
-or-
I was peering out of my house.

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

8:11

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

11a For wisdom is more precious than rubies,

11b and nothing you desire compares with her.

8:11a–b

For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her: This verse gives the basis for the exhortation given in 8:10. It gives the reason why a person should prefer being wise to being wealthy. The reason is that having wisdom is better than owning valuable jewels such as rubies or anything else that a person might desire. This verse is almost identical in meaning to 3:15.

This verse is part of Wisdom’s speech that began in 8:4 and continues in 8:12. In some languages, it may be confusing or unnatural for the speaker (Wisdom) to switch from “I” to “she” when referring to herself. If that is true in your language, you may want to continue using first person pronouns when referring to Wisdom, as the Good News Translation has done:

…I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me. (Good News Translation)

See also the third meaning lines in the Display for 8:11a and 8:11b.

8:11a

more precious than rubies: The phrase more precious than is literally “better than,” as in the Good News Translation. The Berean Standard Bible interprets “better” to mean more precious or “more valuable” (New Living Translation (2004)) because of the comparison of wisdom to rubies, which are known to be valuable jewels. For the word translated as rubies, see the note on 3:15a.

8:11b

and nothing you desire compares with her: In Hebrew, the phrase nothing you desire is more literally “no delight.” The pronoun you does not occur. Here are some ways to translate this line without addressing the reader directly:

and desirable things cannot be compared to her (NET Bible)
-or-
and nothing that a person wants ⌊to have⌋ can compare with her

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

9:18

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

18a But they do not know that the dead are there,

18b
that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

There is an ellipsis in 9:18b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 9:18a. For example:

18b
⌊they do not know⌋ that her guests are in the depths of the grave

9:18a

But they do not know that the dead are there: In Hebrew, the phrase they do not know is literally “he does not know.” The pronoun “he” refers to any person who responded to Folly’s invitation in 9:16. Many versions translate this pronoun as “they.” Use whatever is more natural in your language.

the dead are there: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the dead was translated as “the departed spirits” in 2:18a–b (see the note there). The word there means inside Folly’s house. If this is translated literally in some languages, it may lead to misunderstanding. People may think that the spirits of dead people have come back to haunt the woman’s house or that the spirits of people who died in the house are still there. What this clause actually means is that those who enter Folly’s house will certainly die. They can be considered dead. For example:

But these people don’t know that everyone who goes there dies (New Century Version)

9:18b

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as her guests is literally “her called ones.” It refers to the people who accepted her invitation. As in 2:18a–b, Sheol is the world of the dead. The word depths does not imply that these guests are in the deepest parts in contrast to others in shallower locations. The whole world of the dead is viewed as being deep under the earth.

The meaning of this line is similar to 9:18a. It does not mean that her current guests are already in the world of the dead. What it means is that her guests will certainly end up in Sheol. This may be expressed in different ways:

that her guests end up deep in the grave (New Century Version)
-or-
that her former guests are now in the grave (New Living Translation (1996))

General Comment on 9:18a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. For example:

None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guests are as good as dead. (Contemporary English Version)

See also 9:18a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

10:32

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

32a
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting,

32b but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.

There is an ellipsis in 10:32b. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word is. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 10:32a. For example:

32b but the mouth of the wicked ⌊knows what⌋ is perverse.

10:32a–b

The lips of the righteous…the mouth of the wicked: As in 10:31, The lips and the mouth are figures of speech. They represent a person who speaks in a certain way.

10:32a

The lips of the righteous know what is fitting: The word fitting refers here to what is pleasing or favorable. So this line means that righteous people know how to say things that are kind, helpful, or acceptable to others.

Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

If you obey the Lord, you will always know the right thing to say. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Righteous people know the kind thing to say (Good News Translation)

For the word fitting, see the note on 8:35b.

10:32b

but the mouth of the wicked is perverse: In contrast to righteous people, wicked people know how to say only deceitful things. Another way to translate this line is:

but evil people only tell lies (New Century Version)

For the word perverse, see the note on 10:31b.

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

13:5

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

5a
The righteous hate falsehood,

5b but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

The parts in bold print do not contrast exactly. The second line may imply that the wicked love to tell lies and thus cause shame and disgrace.

13:5a

The righteous hate falsehood: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as falsehood is literally “a word/thing of falsehood/deceit.” The usual meaning is probably “a false word” or “a lie,” but the Hebrew phrase can also refer to actions that are false or deceitful. Some versions specify lying. For example:

A righteous person hates lying (God’s Word)

Others translate more generally. For example:

A good person hates deceit (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The righteous hate what is false (New International Version)

If possible, you should use an expression that can refer to either false words or actions. If there is no such expression, use an expression that refers to telling lies.

13:5b

but the wicked bring shame and disgrace: Most versions and scholars agree that the phrase translated here as bring shame and disgrace has a causative meaning. To bring shame may have either of two meanings:

(a) Wicked people act in a way that causes others to be offended or disgusted.

(b) Wicked people cause others to be shamed.

To bring…disgrace means essentially the same thing. It is possible that the words shame and disgrace are used together here for emphasis.

The verse does not specify what the wicked do to cause shame and disgrace. It could be their words or actions. If possible, translate in a way that allows either meaning. For example:

but those who are evil cause shame and disgrace (Contemporary English Version)

If it is not possible to refer ambiguously to either words or actions in your language, you may specify words. For example:

but the words of wicked people are shameful and disgraceful (Good News Translation)

Verse 13:5a refers mainly to lies. So the parallel in 13:5b probably implies that the wicked cause shame and disgrace by telling lies about others. It is also likely that the ones who are shamed or disgraced by the wicked are others in their community, perhaps those about whom the lies are told.

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

14:12

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

12a There is a way that seems right to a man,

12b but its end is the way of death.

14:12a

There is a way that seems right to a man: This verse has the familiar figure of a way or path. This path appears to be “straight” according to the viewpoint of a person. The figurative meaning is that a certain behavior or way of life may appear to be right or correct. Since the figure of a way/path occurs throughout Proverbs, it is recommended that you keep the figure if possible. For example:

A road may seem straightforward (Revised English Bible)
-or-
You may think you are on the right road (Contemporary English Version)

14:12b

but its end is the way of death: The phrase translated here as its end refers figuratively to the outcome or result of following the path in 14:12a.

General Comment on 14:12a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel clauses of this verse into one clause. For example:

You may think you are on the right road and still end up dead. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
What you think is the right road may lead to death. (Good News Translation)

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

15:9

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

9a
The LORD detests the way of the wicked,

9b but He loves those who pursue righteousness.

In contrast to 15:8, the Hebrew text does order the parallel parts of this verse in the form of a chiasm. The Hebrew order is literally:

9a
An abomination to the LORD
⌊is⌋