This saying uses the image of two contrasting paths. See also 2.18-19; 5.5-6.

“In the path of righteousness is life”: “The path of righteousness is life” may be taken as “The path that leads to right living is life” or “Righteousness is the path that leads to life.” It may also be translated more freely as in Bible en français courant: “Life is found wherever right living is practiced.” We may also say, for example, “The person who follows the way that is right will have life” or “Follow the right road that leads to long life,” a common theme in Proverbs.

“But the way of error leads to death”: This line is again unclear. See the Revised Standard Version footnote. It appears to say “But the way of path not death.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project says the Hebrew rendered literally as “the way of path” means a particular kind of way, that is, “a well-constructed road.” Also, “not death” means without death, that is, “where there is no death.”

Hebrew Old Testament Text Project goes on to suggest that the whole saying may be translated “Upon the way of righteousness there is life, indeed it is a well-constructed road without death.” We may reword this suggestion as “The path of righteousness leads to long life, it is a well-built road without death.”

Note that just as Revised Standard Version supplies “error”, Good News Translation supplies “wickedness” to obtain a contrast in the second line: “wickedness is the road to death.” The Good News Translation rendering may be reworded, for example, “If you want to live long, act fairly. If you want to die, act wrongly.”

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 .