wisdom ("heart wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” or “wise” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil-o’tanil or “heart wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 3:21

“My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion”: For “My son” see 1.8. “Keep” is the same Hebrew word as “guarding” in 2.8. “Sound wisdom” is as in 2.7. For “discretion” see 1.4. A footnote in Revised Standard Version shows that this is actually the second line in the Hebrew text.

“Let them not escape from your sight”: As the Hebrew text stands there is nothing in verse 20 that “them” can refer back to. It most naturally relates to “sound wisdom” and “discretion” in the other line of this verse. Various suggestions have been made to retain the Hebrew clause order, but most interpreters and translators agree to transpose the two lines. “Escape” renders a verb meaning to depart, leave, or go away. “Your sight” is literally “your eyes.” The idea is not that wisdom should be visible to the eyes but that it must never be far from the mind, thoughts, or heart; as Contemporary English Version says “Always keep them in mind.”

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 3:21)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 3:21:

  • Kupsabiny: “My child, be a good councilor/adviser and organize/construct your words well.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “O My Son, keep on grasping wisdom and discernment.
    Don’t let them get lost.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Child, surely keep your (sing.) wisdom and knowledge to decide what is right. Do- not -let this lose/vanish out-of you (sing.).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My child, continually store-up in your (sing.) thoughts proper wisdom and understanding so-that they will not cease-to-be with you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 3:21

Section 3:21–35

Fourth lesson: Be a good neighbor and do not behave like a wicked person

The father started this lesson by exhorting his son to always use sound judgment, because then he would have nothing to fear (3:21–26). He then told his son what to avoid in order to be a good neighbor. He advised him to not follow the behavior of wicked people (3:27–31). The lesson ends with a series of contrasts between the way that the LORD will treat the righteous and the wicked (3:32–35).

Another heading for this section is:

How to be a good neighbor

Paragraph 3:21–26

3:21

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

21a My son, do not lose sight of this :

21b
Preserve sound judgment and discernment.

3:21a–b

do not lose sight of this: Preserve: The command do not lose sight of this is a figurative way of saying, “Never forget to use this.” The Contemporary English Version uses the positive equivalent of this command:

Always keep this in mind. (Contemporary English Version)

The parallel to that command explains what to not lose sight of. This word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Preserve usually means “guard” or “keep” (Revised Standard Version). The same Hebrew word occurs in 2:8a. In this context, to “preserve sound judgment” means to be careful to always use sound judgment.

3:21b

sound judgment: The Hebrew word tušiyyah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as sound judgment, refers to the wisdom or practical good sense that leads to a successful result. Some ways to translate this term are:

common sense (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
good planning (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
resourcefulness (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

discernment: The Hebrew word mǝzimmah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as discernment, means “shrewdness.” It refers to the ability to make careful plans, and thus it means essentially the same thing as the word translated as “sound judgment.” Other ways to translate this word are:

insight (Good News Translation)
-or-
ability to think of an effective plan

This word occurred previously in 1:4b and 2:11a–b.

© 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.