7 Or “a boy with my father.”
8 The introduces the ideas of “obedient” and “beloved” for these two terms. This seems to be a free rendering, if not a translation of a different Hebrew textual tradition. The makes good sense and requires no emendation. Heb “tender and only one.” The phrase רַךְ וְיָחִיד (rakh véyakhid, “tender and only one”) is a hendiadys meaning “tender only child.” The adjective רַךְ (rakh) means “tender; delicate” ( 940 רַךְ), and describes a lad who is young and undeveloped in character (e.g., 2 Sam 3:39). The adjective יָחִיד (yakhid) means “only one” ( 402 יָחִיד) and refers to a beloved and prized only child (e.g., Gen 22:2).
9 The imperative with the vav expresses volitional sequence after the preceding imperative: “keep and then you will live,” meaning “keep so that you may live.”

In other versions

When I was a son with my father,

tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,

he taught me and said to me,

“Let your heart hold fast my words;

keep my commandments, and live.

For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold of my words with all your heart;

keep my commands, and you will live.

When I was a son with my father,

tender and precious to my mother,

he taught me and said,

“Your heart must hold on to my words.

Keep my commands and live.

For I, too, was once my father’s son,

tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.

My father taught me,

“Take my words to heart.

Follow my commands, and you will live.

When I was a son to my father,

tender and alone before my mother,

he taught me and said to me,

“May your heart hold fast to my words;

guard my commandments and live.

For I was my father’s son,

Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

He taught me also, and said unto me,

Let thine heart retain my words:

Keep my commandments, and live.

Public Domain