Proverbs 7 in MT and LXX: Form and Content

138
Tova Forti and Zipora Talshir
Verse 2
% * *
+ *
,-
c b a *
*(+ "#
d’ b’ *
+ *# . #
The texts are similarly structured and comprise the same elements, except
for one: instead of the Greek reads . The original
wording in vv. 1–2 may well have been:
/
suggested by the Greek. On the other hand, may have been the
original reading, replaced by the translator by in assimilation with
v. 1. This would be in accordance with his practice on other occasions where
he replaces —in reference to human teaching—with equivalents such as
( (1:8; 6:20); / 0(/ 0 /
0 ,,, * (3:1) 19
, as
Verse 3
(
*
b a *
+ +1 "*
b’ a’ *
+ "($1"* .
The translator keeps the parallelism and similes of the parent text literally. 20
18 The verb is rendered in the future tense, as on other similar occasions; e.g., Gen
20:7; 42:18; and especially Prov 9:6 ( & & -(.
The same phrase recurs in 4:4 ( , where it does not have an exact
counterpart in the Greek.
19 Gerleman, Studies, 45, argues that, unlike other translators, “…the Proverb
translator failed to take the word as a technical term.” In our opinion, the
variety of terms our translator chose speaks, rather, in his favor. He took as a
technical term where he believed it was indeed meant as such.
20 The very same imagery is used in 3:3 and 6:20–21. In the context of and
, the author may also allude to Deut 6:8.