Amsal 3:1

Exhortations to Seek Wisdom and Walk with the Lord ¹ 

3:1 My child, ²  do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep ³  my commandments,

Amsal 4:13

4:13 Hold on to instruction, ⁴  do not let it go;

protect it, ⁵  because it is your life.

Amsal 6:20-23

6:20 My child, guard the commands of your father

and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.

6:21 Bind them ⁶  on your heart continually;

fasten them around your neck.

6:22 When you walk about, ⁷  they ⁸  will guide you;

when you lie down, they will watch over you;

when you wake up, ⁹  they will talk ¹⁰  to you.

6:23 For the commandments ¹¹  are like ¹²  a lamp, ¹³ 

instruction is like a light,

and rebukes of discipline are like ¹⁴  the road leading to life, ¹⁵ 

Amsal 23:23

23:23 Acquire ¹⁶  truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

[3:1]  ¹ sn The chapter begins with an introductory exhortation (1-4), followed by an admonition to be faithful to the Lord (5-12). Wisdom is commended as the most valuable possession (13-18), essential to creation (19-20), and the way to a long and safe life (21-26). There then follows a warning to avoid unneighborliness (27-30) and emulating the wicked (31-35).

[3:1]  ² tn Heb “my son” (likewise in vv. 11, 21).

[3:1]  ³ tn The verb יִצֹּר (yitsor) is a Qal jussive and the noun לִבֶּךָ (libbekha, “your heart”) functions as the subject: “let your heart keep my commandments.”

[4:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “discipline.”

[4:13]  ⁵ tn The form נִצְּרֶהָ (nitsÿreha, from נָצַר, natsar) has an anomalous doubled letter (see GKC 73 §20.h).

[6:21]  ⁶ sn The figures used here are hypocatastases (implied comparisons). There may also be an allusion to Deut 6 where the people were told to bind the law on their foreheads and arms. The point here is that the disciple will never be without these instructions. See further, P. W. Skehan, Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom (CBQMS), 1-8.

[6:22]  ⁷ tn The verbal form is the Hitpael infinitive construct with a preposition and a suffixed subjective genitive to form a temporal clause. The term הָלַךְ (halakh) in this verbal stem means “to go about; to go to and fro.” The use of these terms in v. 22 also alludes to Deut 6:7.

[6:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “it will guide you.” The verb is singular and the instruction is the subject.

[6:22]  ⁹ tn In both of the preceding cola an infinitive construct was used for the temporal clauses; now the construction uses a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. The verb would then be equivalent to an imperfect tense, but subordinated as a temporal clause here.

[6:22]  ¹⁰ sn The Hebrew verb means “talk” in the sense of “to muse; to complain; to meditate”; cf. TEV, NLT “advise you.” Instruction bound to the heart will speak to the disciple on awaking.

[6:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the commandment” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).

[6:23]  ¹² tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[6:23]  ¹³ sn The terms “lamp,” “light,” and “way” are all metaphors. The positive teachings and commandments will illumine or reveal to the disciple the way to life; the disciplinary correctives will provide guidance into fullness of life.

[6:23]  ¹⁴ tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[6:23]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the way of life” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NIV, NLT “the way to life.” The noun “life” is a genitive following the construct “way.” It could be an attributive genitive modifying the kind of way/course of life that instruction provides, but it could also be objective in that the course of life followed would produce and lead to life.

[23:23]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “buy” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “Invest in truth.”

[23:23]  sn The sixteenth saying is an instruction to buy/acquire the kind of life that pleases God and brings joy to parents. “Getting truth” would mean getting training in the truth, and getting wisdom and understanding would mean developing the perception and practical knowledge of the truth.