Amsal 9:6
Konteks9:6 Abandon your foolish ways 1 so that you may live, 2
and proceed 3 in the way of understanding.”
Amsal 9:10-11
Konteks9:10 The beginning 4 of wisdom is to fear the Lord, 5
and acknowledging 6 the Holy One 7 is understanding.
9:11 For because 8 of me your days will be many,
and years will be added 9 to your life.
[9:6] 1 tn There are two ways to take this word: either as “fools” or as “foolish ways.” The spelling for “foolishness” in v. 13 differs from this spelling, and so some have taken that as an indicator that this should be “fools.” But this could still be an abstract plural here as in 1:22. Either the message is to forsake fools (i.e., bad company; cf. KJV, TEV) or forsake foolishness (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT).
[9:6] 2 tn The two imperatives are joined with vav; this is a volitive sequence in which result or consequence is expressed.
[9:6] 3 tn The verb means “go straight, go on, advance” or “go straight on in the way of understanding” (BDB 80 s.v. אָשַׁר).
[9:10] 4 sn The difference between תְּחִלַּת (tÿkhillat) here and רֵאשִׁית (re’shit) of 1:7, if there is any substantial difference, is that this term refers to the starting point of wisdom, and the earlier one indicates the primary place of wisdom (K&D 16:202).
[9:10] 5 tn Heb “fear of the
[9:10] 6 tn Heb “knowledge of the Holy One” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[9:10] 7 tn The word is in the plural in the Hebrew (literally “holy ones”; KJV “the holy”). It was translated “holy men” in Tg. Prov 9:10. But it probably was meant to signify the majestic nature of the
[9:11] 8 tn The preposition בּ (bet) here may have the causal sense (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 45, §247), although it could also be means (Williams, 44, §243).
[9:11] 9 tn The verb וְיוֹסִיפוּ (vÿyosifu) is the Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural; but because there is no expressed subject the verb may be taken as a passive.
