“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction”: “Hear” means not just passive listening but rather obeying what is taught. The sense of heeding or “pay[ing] attention” (Good News Translation) is expressed in Amos 4.1, where the prophet warns the women of Samaria of the consequences of their oppression of the poor. See also Isa 28.23 and Jer 7.13. Scott’s rendering is a good translation model: “follow your father’s instructions.” Other renderings are Contemporary English Version “Obey the teachings,” New Jewish Publication Society Version “heed the discipline,” New English Bible/Revised English Bible “attend . . . instruction.”

In many languages there is a generic word for “child” and a phrase “male child” equivalent to “son”, which would be used in situations where the gender of the child is in focus. Under normal circumstances, however, a man would address his son as “my child” rather than as “my male child.” If that is your situation, you will probably wish to use the generic term here, particularly since the context makes it obvious that a male youth is addressed.

On the other hand, your language may lack a generic word for child, and only have words for “son” and “daughter,” as in Hebrew. In that case “son” should obviously be used. If you feel that “son” is overly restrictive for your audience (see Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version, and New Jerusalem Bible for examples of translations made for “inclusivist” audiences) and that the message of this part of Proverbs (chapters 1–9) should be addressed to young people of both sexes, you could include a footnote indicating that although this part addresses young males, its application is for everyone.

Note that it is only this part of Proverbs that is especially directed to young men. In other parts where a mixed audience is addressed, “my son” can be translated “my child/children.”

“Father’s instruction”: According to Deut 6.2, 7 and Pro 4.3-4, the father of a family was primarily responsible for the moral teachings given to his son. “Father’s instruction” is matched in line 2 by “mother’s teaching”. “Instruction” translates the same word used in verse 2.

“Reject not your mother’s teaching”: “Reject not” is a negative way of saying “listen and obey,” or “Hear” in line 1. Translations like Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version do away with the parallelism of the poetic lines by not repeating the command in the negative. Good News Translation joins “father and mother”; Contemporary English Version has “teachings of your parents.” Other translations reduce the two lines to one in other ways; for example, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “My son, obey your parents and follow their advice.” Translators may choose to retain the parallelism here, reduce the two lines to one, or recast the whole saying; the best guide is the grammatical patterns of traditional sayings in their own languages.

“Teaching” translates the Hebrew torah, which often refers to the law of Moses, but in this context the term has the general sense of training or instruction.

If you are keeping the poetic parallelism, this could be rendered, for example, “My child, obey what your father instructs you, and do not refuse to do what your mother teaches you.” If the parallel lines are not to be kept, we may follow the models of Good News Translation, or Contemporary English Version, or say, for example, “My child, obey and follow what your father and mother teach you.”

Some translations assume that the person speaking is actually the father of the young person, and so first person pronouns are used; for example, “My son, listen well to everything that I and your mother we-two are teaching you.”

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 .

“For they are a fair garland for your head”: “They” refers to the parental instruction and teaching in verse 8, which are described by Revised Standard Version as a “garland”. According to Scott the word rendered “garland” is from a rare Hebrew root meaning to “wind” or “twist,” and refers to winding cloth about the head to make a turban or head covering. A “garland” is a wreath made of small branches, flowers, and leaves, and is worn on the head on festive occasions.

“A fair garland” is literally “a garland of grace” or more likely “a graceful garland.” Translators render this expression as “graceful diadem,” “graceful crown,” or “graceful wreath.” Good News Translation has “a handsome turban,” and Contemporary English Version “a lovely hat.” Some other examples are “like a hat to make your head look beautiful” and “nice decoration on your head.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy uses a more general phrase, “a beautiful adornment.” In languages in which no head covering is used it may be best to follow the model of Biblia Dios Habla Hoy.

“Pendants for your neck”: “Pendants” here are necklaces, chains of silver, or beads hung about the neck as adornments.

A literal translation of verse 9 may give readers the idea that the teaching of the parents is written in the turban and on the necklace. The intention, however, of the poetic imagery is to say that the teaching given by the parents to their child strengthens the character of the young person, just as an adornment adds to his or her physical beauty. Accordingly, Good News Translation makes this clear with “Their teaching will improve your character as. . ..” Translators may also say, for example, “Their teaching is like a lovely turban for your head and a necklace for your neck.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “They adorn you like a necklace or a splendid crown on your head.”

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 .

“My son, if sinners entice you”: For “My son” see verse 8. “Sinners” is generally a description of those who do not obey God’s will as made known in the law. In this context, however, “sinners” are persons of bad moral character. In many languages “sinners” must be expressed by a verb phrase, for example, “people who do evil deeds.” In some translations people whose behavior is particularly bad are referred to, for example, “members of town gangs or robbers.” “Entice” has the sense of “tempt,” “allure,” or “lead astray.”

“Do not consent”: that is, do not “accept,” “be willing,” “give in to.” In a positive manner we may say, for example, “resist,” “say ‘no,’” or “stand firm.” In some languages the “if” clause must be placed after the command for a natural sequence of clauses; for example, “My child, do not give in if sinners tempt you.”

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 .

The structure of verses 11-14 sets out the words that the sinners are imagined as saying in their attempt to lead the young person astray. This can be seen clearly in Revised Standard Version, which follows the Hebrew form closely.

“If they say”: Note that Good News Translation begins with “Suppose they say” in order to make clear that the proposals are given as an example of what sinners might suggest doing. Some other translations have “They might say to you. . ..” Contemporary English Version relates verse 10 to verse 11 by saying in verse 10 “Don’t be tempted . . . [verse 11] when they say. . ..” Similarly some translations begin verse 11 with “Those people talk like this. . ..” Translators may find the Contemporary English Version model helpful.

“Come with us” opens the invitation to the young person to participate with evildoers. The pronoun “us” is exclusive here, but it must be inclusive from the next clause onward, where the “sinners” describe what they and the young man will all do together.

“Let us lie in wait for blood”: “Lie in wait” renders a military expression referring to an ambush, that is, to hide and take someone by surprise. A common rendering is “hide beside the road, and when somebody comes. . ..” “Blood” here means to shed someone’s blood, that is, to kill them.

“Let us wantonly ambush the innocent”: The imagined proposal of the sinners continues. “Wantonly” renders an adverb meaning “without cause,” “groundless,” or “for no good reason.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version say “for the fun of it.” “Ambush”, which means to lie hidden or to lurk, is parallel in sense with “lie in wait”. “Innocent” refers to people who are helpless in that they have no way to protect themselves and are unaware of the ambush being laid for them.

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 .

“Like Sheol let us swallow them”: The innocent persons captured in the ambush of the sinners will be killed and put in their graves. “Sheol” is the world of the dead, a land of gloom and darkness, a place of no return. It is commonly referred to as the “Pit” or the grave. “Swallow” is a common figure in the Hebrew for “consume,” “kill,” or “destroy.” Translators should make certain that readers do not take it in a literal sense.

“Alive and whole”: that is, alive and in good health. The sinners will play the role of Sheol and cause the innocent to be dragged down into the grave away from life and health.

The translation of verse 12 may require some adjustments to make certain that the picture is complete. Contemporary English Version does this by saying “They’re well and healthy now, but we’ll finish them off once and for all.” This translation replaces the images of “Sheol” and the “Pit” with the words “finish them off once and for all.” Compare Good News Translation, which has a similar rendering. If the translator wishes to keep the death image, it is possible to say, for example, “While they are still alive and well, we will send them to the land of the dead.”

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 .

Not only will the sinners kill the innocent; they will also rob them.

“We shall find all precious goods”: “Find” means to “seize,” “capture,” or “take away.” “Precious” is used in Job 28.16 to refer to gems of great value. “Goods” translates a noun used a number of times in Proverbs in the sense of “wealth” or “possessions.” The context makes clear that “precious goods” refers to highly prized material goods taken as loot.

“Fill our houses with spoil”: “Fill” does not mean to fill to overflowing as with a liquid; it has the sense of putting a lot of things in. Moffatt says “cram our houses.” “Spoil” refers to the goods and property that are taken from the slain victims. For a model translation see Good News Translation.

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 .