Pro 9:6 | NETfull | STEP | Abandon your foolish ways so that you may live, and proceed in the way of understanding.”

Proverbs 9:6

6 Abandon your foolish ways ^{▼▼ There are two ways to take this word: either as “fools” or as “foolish ways.” The spelling for “foolishness” in v. 13 differs from this spelling, and so some have taken that as an indicator that this should be “fools.” But this could still be an abstract plural here as in 1:22. Either the message is to forsake fools (i.e., bad company; cf. KJV, TEV) or forsake foolishness (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT).} so that you may live, ^{▼▼ The two imperatives are joined with vav; this is a volitive sequence in which result or consequence is expressed.}
and proceed ^{▼▼ The verb means “go straight, go on, advance” or “go straight on in the way of understanding” (BDB 80 s.v. אָשַׁר).} in the way of understanding.”