15:24
The second line gives either the purpose or the result of the first line:
24a The path of life leads upward for the wise,
24b that he may avoid going down to Sheol.
15:24a–b
The path of life leads upward for the wise, that he may avoid going down to Sheol: In Hebrew, the second line of this proverb indicates the intended result of the first line. This implies that the wise person deliberately follows The path of life. It also implies that as a result of this choice, he is kept from going down to Sheol.
In many languages, it will not be possible to express both purpose and result at the same time. You may translate either way:
(a) The second line expresses purpose. For example:
The wise follow the path of life upwards in order to avoid Sheol below.
(b) The second line expresses result. In the second example, the result is only implied. For example:
For the prudent, the path of life leads upwards, thus avoiding Sheol below. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
The path of life leads upward for the wise. They avoid whatever would bring them down to the world of the dead.
The first meaning line in the Display for 15:24b indicates purpose. The second indicates result.
path of life…Sheol: Some scholars feel that this proverb at least implies the idea of eternal life in heaven. Others feel that it expresses the usual contrast in Proverbs between a long, good life and a premature death. It is recommended that you translate in such a way as to allow either meaning.
15:24a
the wise: The Hebrew word maśkil, which the Berean Standard Bible translates here as the wise, refers to a person who is wise, prudent, or sensible.
15:24b
Sheol: As elsewhere, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sheol refers to the world/place of the dead. It was regarded as being under the earth.
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