Proverbs 22:18-20

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Proverbs 22:18 tn Or “when” (so NIV).
2. Proverbs 22:18 tn Heb “keep them,” referring to the words of the wise expressed in these sayings. The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3. Proverbs 22:18 tn The term “and” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation.
4. Proverbs 22:18 sn If the teachings are preserved in the heart/mind of the disciple, then that individual will always be ready to speak what was retained.
5. Proverbs 22:19 tn The form לִהְיוֹת (lih^eyot, “to be”) is the infinitive construct indicating the purpose (or result) of the teaching (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV).
6. Proverbs 22:19 tn The verb הוֹדַעְתִּי (hodaʿti; from יָדַע, yadaʿ) is a Hiphil perfect form. The Hiphil is factitive “to make know,” i.e., “to inform.” The Hebrew perfect should be understood either as perfective “I have informed you” or performative “I hereby inform you.” Either is appropriate for “today” since the thirty sayings it refers to have been written down (v. 20), but it appears to be part of introducing the sayings rather than a recap. However if the “thirty [sayings]” mentioned in v. 20 should be understood as the word “day before yesterday” then the perfective translation should be preferred.
7. Proverbs 22:20 tn Older English versions and a few more recent ones render this phrase as either “excellent things” following the Qere (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), “officers,” or “heretofore” [day before yesterday], following the Kethib. However (as in most recent English versions) the Qere should be rendered “thirty,” referring to the number in the collection (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
8. Proverbs 22:20 tn The term “sayings” does not appear in the Hebrew text but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.