The Textual Problem of Proverbs 30:19

Abstract

A textual problem in Proverbs 30:19 provides difficulty to both ancient and contemporary texts. The ancient translators understand the last word of Proverbs 30:19 differently: b’lmh or b’lmyw. Symmachus in Greek, and the Aleppo codex, Leningrad codex, Babylonian tradition, Targum Aramaic, and Latin Codex 650 translate the term as “maiden” (woman). Other translations comprehend the last word of Proverbs 30:19 as in (his) “youth:” The LXX, Syro-Hexapla, Syriac Peshitta, Latin Vulgate, manuscript 31, Amiatinus manuscript, Salzburg manuscript, Cavensis manuscript, Greek Manuscript 333, 562, 329, 571, 636, 352, 485, 464, 447, and most Latin manuscripts. Modern English Bible translators are also perplexed by the textual problem of Proverbs 30:19. Although most modern Bible English translations prefer the reading with a maid (woman), certain English translations favor the reading “in his youth”. For example, the American Standard Version (ASV), New Heart English Bible (NHEB), New International Version (NIV), Amplified Bible (AB), World English Bible (WEB), English Standard Version (ESV), Berean Study Bible (BSB), King James Version (KJV), International Standard Version (ISV), and NET Bible favor the reading with a maid (woman). The Good News Translation (GNB) and Contemporary English Version (CEV) even interpret the last word of Proverbs 30:19 as the love between a man and a woman. On the other hand, the Brenton Septuagint Translation (Douay-Rheims Bible [DRB], Literal Standard Version [LST], and Aramaic Bible in Plain English Young’s Literal Translation [YLT] have the translation of in his youth. This article undertakes a syntactical analysis of the Prov. 30:19 in an attempt to resolve this textual ambiguity.