Proverbs 6:22

When you walk about, ¹  they ²  will guide you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; when you wake up, ³  they will talk ⁴  to you.

Ps 17:4; Ps 43:3; Ps 119:9,11,24,54,97,148; Pr 2:11; Pr 3:23,24; Da 11:18-21

¹ tn The verbal form is the Hitpael infinitive construct with a preposition and a suffixed subjective genitive to form a temporal clause. The term הָלַךְ (halakh) in this verbal stem means “to go about; to go to and fro.” The use of these terms in v. 22 also alludes to Deut 6:7.

² tn Heb “it will guide you.” The verb is singular and the instruction is the subject.

³ tn In both of the preceding cola an infinitive construct was used for the temporal clauses; now the construction uses a perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive. The verb would then be equivalent to an imperfect tense, but subordinated as a temporal clause here.

⁴ sn The Hebrew verb means “talk” in the sense of “to muse; to complain; to meditate”; cf. TEV, NLT “advise you.” Instruction bound to the heart will speak to the disciple on awaking.