“He who keeps the commandment keeps his life”: “Keeps the commandment” means to observe, obey, or follow the law. This may be the teaching of the wise as in 4.4 and 7.2 or may refer to God’s commandments and so to the Law of Moses. Bible en français courant follows the first understanding and says “He who respects the laws protects his life.” Good News Translation prefers the second sense, “God’s laws.” “Keeps his life” is rendered “preserves his life” in 13.3 and is literally “keeps his soul,” where “keeps” means “protects.” In some languages this is expressed as “will have a long life” or “will live well.”

“He who despises the word will die”: “He who despises the word” contrasts with “He who keeps the commandment” in line 1. However, this line is more difficult due to the Hebrew text. Note that the footnote in Revised Standard Version calls attention to 13.13 and says the Hebrew text has “his ways” where Revised Standard Version has “the word”. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates “his ways” as “A” and recommends two interpretations: “he who has no concern for his own conduct” or “he who neglects the ways of the Lord.” Bible en français courant follows the first of these: “he who fails to watch over his conduct dies.” Contemporary English Version, like Good News Translation, follows the second interpretation: “Obey the Lord‘s teachings and you will live—disobey and you will die.”

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 .