Translation commentary on Proverbs 5:6

The meaning of the Hebrew text of part of this verse is uncertain. It appears to say that the way of the adulterous woman is unstable and does not lead to life. In this way verse 6 states negatively what verse 5 says positively.

“She does not take heed to the path of life”: that is, “She does not follow the path that leads to life.” “Path of life” refers to the good way that gives the learner a long life. This contrasts with the way that leads to death or takes someone down to death, where “death,” as in verse 5, is a premature death resulting from living foolishly or without wisdom.

“Her ways wander, and she does not know it”: Here the idea is that she takes the wrong road, misses the way, gets lost, and is not even aware that she is on the wrong road. As Bible en français courant says “She does not follow the road that leads to life, she misses the [right] road without knowing it.”

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 5:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 5:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “(She) took (her) life for granted. (Her) ways are crooked and she does not know it.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “She does not go on the path of life.
    Her way is crooked
    but she does not realize that at all.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “She does not pay-attention to the path that leads to life. What she walks-on is not straight and she does- not -notice/recognize it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “She does not follow the path that leads to life. She is lost/astray to wander-and-wander on a crooked/winding path, but she doesn’t know (it).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 5:6

5:6

There is a contrast in this verse between the parts in bold print. The underlined parts do not contrast.

6a
She does not consider the path of life ;

6b
she does not know that her ways are unstable.

5:6a

She does not consider the path of life: This clause indicates that the woman has decided to avoid the path that leads to life. Other ways to translate this clause are:

she does not care about the path to life (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
far from following the path of life (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
She doesn’t even think about the path of life. (God’s Word)

The Good News Translation translates this clause as, “She does not stay on the road to life,” but this may incorrectly imply that at certain times she does follow the road leading to life. That is not implied in this context.

path of life: This phrase means “way that leads to life.” For more information, see the note on 2:19a–b.

5:6b

she does not know that her ways are unstable: In Hebrew, the clause her ways are unstable is literally “her ways wander/waver.” This expression indicates that her life is unstable. Her behavior is like a path that keeps turning in different directions.

she does not know: She does not realize that her life is unstable and that she is wandering.

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