King James Version

Proverbs 15:24

The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

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Hebrew

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אֹ֣רַחorachmannerאֹרַחnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “manner”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH734a well-trodden road (literally or figuratively); also a caravanmanner, path, race, rank, traveller, troop, (by-, high-) way.חַ֭יִּיםchayimlifeחַיnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “life”, the ordinary formH2416alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively[phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.לְמַ֣עְלָהlemalahto aboveמַעַלpreposition, adverb, directional ending — “to above”H4605properly, the upper part, used only adverbially with prefix upward, above, overhead, from the top, etc.above, exceeding(-ly), forward, on ([idiom] very) high, over, up(-on, -ward), very.לְמַשְׂכִּ֑ילlemaskilto considerשָׂכַלpreposition, verb, hiphil, participle, absolute — “to consider”, a verb used as a describing wordH7919to be (causatively, make or act) circumspect and hence, intelligentconsider, expert, instruct, prosper, (deal) prudent(-ly), (give) skill(-ful), have good success, teach, (have, make to) understand(-ing), wisdom, (be, behave self, consider, make) wise(-ly), guide wittingly.לְמַ֥עַןlemaanthatמַעַןpreposition — “that”H4616properly, heed, i.e. purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order thatbecause of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to.ס֝֗וּרsurturnסוּרverb, qal, infinitive construct — “turn”, the to-form of the verbH5493to turn off (literal or figurative)be(-head), bring, call back, decline, depart, eschew, get (you), go (aside), [idiom] grievous, lay away (by), leave undone, be past, pluck away, put (away, down), rebel, remove (to and fro), revolt, [idiom] be sour, take (away, off), turn…מִשְּׁא֥וֹלmisholfrom graveשְׁאוֹלpreposition, noun, proper name — “from grave”H7585Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmatesgrave, hell, pit.מָֽטָּהmatahbeneathמַטָּהadverb — “beneath”H4295downward, below or beneath; often adverbially with or without prefixesbeneath, down(-ward), less, very low, under(-neath).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The path of life goeth upward for the wise, that he may depart from the nether-world beneath.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

To the wise the way of life goeth upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath.

Young’s Literal Translation

A path of life [is] on high for the wise, To turn aside from Sheol beneath.

World English Bible

The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.

Darby Translation

The path of life is upwards for the wise, that he may depart from Sheol beneath.

Douay-Rheims

The path of life is above for the wise, that he may decline from the lowest hell.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The path of life goeth upward for the wise, that he may depart from the nether-world beneath.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The thoughts of the wise are ways of life, that he may turn aside and escape from hell.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ὁδοὶ ζωῆς διανοήματα συνετοῦ, ἵνα ἐκκλίνας ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου σωθῇ.