15:33
The character qualities in the underlined parallel parts are necessary to gain the benefits described in the parts with bold print.
33a
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,
33b and humility comes before honor.
15:33a
The fear of the LORD: For this phrase, see the note on 10:27a.
is the instruction of wisdom: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as is the instruction of wisdom depicts reverence/respect for the LORD as what instructs a person in wisdom. Some other ways to express this meaning are:
Fear of the Lord teaches a person to be wise (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Showing respect for the Lord will make you wise (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
A person becomes wise by respecting and obeying the LORD
15:33b
and humility comes before honor: The word humility may refer to a person’s humble attitude before the LORD or before others. The parallel with “fear of the LORD” in 15:33a may imply that it refers mainly to humility before the LORD. honor is similarly ambiguous. It may imply that a humble person is honored by the LORD or by others.
English versions translate this line ambiguously. Both ideas are found in Proverbs. So you should also try to translate in a way that allows your readers to understand either meaning.
General Comment on 15:33a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parallel parts in order to show the connection between the parallel lines. For example:
A person who is humble and who reveres and obeys the LORD will become both wise and honored.
See also 15:33a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.
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