⁴ tn Heb “let not man retain [strength] with you.”

¹ tn Heb “that we should retain strength to contribute like this.”

⁵ tn In Greek this is a present tense retained in indirect discourse.

¹ tn Heb “a man.” Here “man” is retained in the translation because the second colon mentions prostitutes.

¹ tn Heb “and the strength of Jeroboam was not retained again in the days of Abijah.”

² tn Heb “but you do not guard [i.e., retain in your memory]”; NIV “but have paid no attention.”

³ tn Heb “yet my wisdom stood for me,” meaning he retained his wise perspective despite his great wealth.

³ tn Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.

³ tn Heb “and there was no one belonging to the house of Ahaziah to retain strength for kingship.”

² tn Many English versions retain a form of this name closer to the Hebrew, i.e., “Shemuel.”

¹ tn The two words can form a nominal hendiadys, “a dreadful fear,” though most English versions retain the two separate terms.

² tn Because it forms the counterpoint to “the children of promise” the expression “children of the flesh” has been retained in the translation.

⁴ tn This is a present tense (ἐστιν, estin) retained in indirect discourse. It must be translated as a past tense in contemporary English.

¹ tn Heb “Thus says the Lord.” However, the speech has already been introduced as first person, so the first person style has been retained for smoother narrative style.

¹ tn Heb “my son”; the reference to a “son” is retained in the translation here because in the following lines the advice is to avoid women who are prostitutes.

¹ tn Heb “my son”; the reference to a “son” is retained in the translation here because in the following lines the advice is to avoid women who are prostitutes.

⁴ 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.

³ sn “Hands” is figurative for the whole person, but “hands” is retained in the translation because it is often the symbol to express one’s ability of action.

¹ tn Both particles retain their individual meanings, otherwise the verse would begin with a strong adversative and be a contrast to what has been said.

³ tn The jussive in conditional sentences retains its voluntative sense: let something be so, and this must happen as a consequence (see GKC 323 §109.i).