“Let not your heart envy sinners”: The verb “envy” is translated “be jealous” in many other contexts. It expresses a strong emotion of desire to have what others have or to be like others in some way. In one translation this is expressed as “Don’t feel bad because you don’t have all the things that bad people have.” The literal “Let not your heart . . .” is not necessary or natural in English, and a number of versions just say “Do not envy. . .” (Scott) or “Don’t be jealous of. . .” (Contemporary English Version). For “sinners” see the comments at 1.10.

“But continue in the fear of the Lord all the day”: The Hebrew is literally “But rather in the fear of the Lord all the day.” The Hebrew opening expression “But rather” makes a stronger contrast with the previous line than the simple connector that is often rendered “but.” There is no verb in Hebrew here, so some understand the same verb as in the first line, but give it the positive sense that it can have; for instance, “but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord” (New International Version). Others put in a verb that seems appropriate like Revised Standard Version “continue”; some other examples are “think constantly” (Scott), “remain steady” (New Jerusalem Bible), and “let (reverence for the Lord) be the concern of. . .” (Good News Translation). Contemporary English Version expresses “the fear of the Lord” as a verb: “but always honor the Lord.” Any of the above are models that translators may follow. “All the day” does not mean a day of 24 hours, but something like “every day” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “always” (New International Version, Contemporary English Version).

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 .