In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.
In the way of righteousness (is) life; and (in) the pathway (thereof there is) no death. "The pathway:" two Hebrew nouns, as in the English version, derek (H1870) nªtiybaah (H5410); the path way. A narrow way trodden by the feet, as distinguished from the cart-road. [The Masoretes read it without the dot, the trodden right way, as distinguished from the devious 'crooked ways into' which the wicked "turn aside" (Psalms 125:5). If the Mappiq, or dot, be read, the sense is, the way of ITS path - i:e., the way of the path of righteousness]. The Chaldaic, Septuagint, Vulgate, Arabic, and Syriac, for "no" х 'al (H408), which is used more in prohibitions than negations], read, 'The pathway is TO х 'el (H413)] death.' The difficulty of the Hebrew al negative probably occasioned the change. The difficult reading the English version rightly prefers. Moreover, the trodden right way could not be used of the crooked way of sinners leading to death, as this reading takes it.