Proverbs 22:6

6. Train up a child, etc. A very literal rendering of these familiar words would perhaps be: Make it narrow for the boy on the mouth of his way. It contains the idea of the old Hebrews in respect to education, (see note on Proverbs 1:3,) restraint, control, repression. Let there be restraint to the boy, or youth, as to his evil tendencies. “Hedge him in,” as Miller reads; restrain from the wrong way and constrain to the good. The “mouth of the way” would naturally be understood of the beginning of it. But the phrase has a conventional sense, meaning, according to, or according to the measure of. Hence the passage would read: Train a youth according to his way. The question now arises whether דרכו , ( darko,) his way, means the way he should go, or something else. We do not find any clear example of this meaning of the word; nevertheless, we are loth to surrender the old, familiar sense. Gesenius, and after him Stuart and others, interpret it of the bent of the mind, genius, inclination, or disposition for some particular occupation or calling. Stuart observes, “As darko can mean only the way of the child, the moral couched under the phrase. ‘he should go,’ finds in reality no proper place, although the sentiment itself is excellent and agreeable to the tenor of Scripture. An interpreter’s business is rather to inquire what is said than to conjecture, however ingeniously and piously, what ought to be said.” This is very true, but those who interpret the words in this way are also obliged to conjecture as to the meaning of darko, for it is not perfectly evident that it means the bent, inclination, or temperament of the child. It is possible, after all, that “his way” simply means the way in which he is to go; the mode, manner, or sphere of life to which he is destined by parents or by circumstances. If he inherit a throne, educate him for it; if he is destined to this or that profession or occupation, give him the training that he needs for it. And a step further: as every wise and pious parent desires and wills his child to lead a virtuous and pious life, let such parent carefully educate him accordingly. For according to his education will be his future life.

“ ‘ Tis education forms the common mind:

Just as the twig is bent, the tree’s inclined.” POPE.

When he is old This expression does not signify old age; but simply mature age, or, as we say, when he becomes of age. The maxim is based on the well known force of habit. The statement is that of a general truth, and, of course, admits of exceptions. On the old interpretation we have met with no better note on this proverb than that of Dr. A. Clarke. The Geneva Bible reads the first clause thus: “Teache a childe the trade of his way.” The marginal note is: “Bring him vp vertuously, and he shal so continue.” The Douay, following the Vulgate, has this: “It is a proverb: a young man according to his way, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” The Septuagint omits the verse entirely.