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The wise person[a] accepts instructions,[b]
but the one who speaks foolishness[c] will come to ruin.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:8 tn Heb “the wise of mind.” The noun לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) functions as a genitive of specification: “wise in the mind” or “wise-minded.” Cf. “wise hearted” NASB, ESV, NRSV; “wise in heart” KJV, NIV. The term לֵב (lev) represents the person in this case (a synecdoche of part for the whole) because it is the seat of thinking and wisdom.
  2. Proverbs 10:8 tn Heb “commandments.”
  3. Proverbs 10:8 tn Heb “fool of lips.” The phrase is a genitive of specification: “a fool in respect to lips.” The term “lips” is a metonymy of cause (= lips) for effect (= speech). This person talks foolishness; he is too busy talking to pay attention to instruction.
  4. Proverbs 10:8 tn The Niphal verb לָבַט (lavat) means “to be thrust down [or, away]”; that is, “to be ruined; to fall” or “to stumble” (e.g., Hos 4:14). The fool who refuses to listen to advice—but abides by his own standards which he freely expresses—will suffer the predicaments that he creates.

(A)The wise of heart will receive commandments,
    but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

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17 The one who heeds instruction[a] is on the way to[b] life,
but the one who rejects[c] rebuke goes astray.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 10:17 tn Heb “discipline.” The noun מוּסָר (musar) has a basic two-fold range of meanings: (1) “discipline” (so NIV; NAB “admonition”; NCV, NLT “correction”) and (2) “instruction” (BDB 416 s.v.; so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The wise person listens to instruction (first colon); however, the fool will not even take discipline to heart (second colon).
  2. Proverbs 10:17 tn The term is a genitive of location indicating the goal (IBHS 147-48 §9.5.2f).
  3. Proverbs 10:17 sn The contrast with the one who holds fast to discipline is the one who forsakes or abandons reproof or correction. Whereas the first is an example, this latter individual causes people to wander from the true course of life, that is, causes them to err.

17 Whoever heeds instruction is on (A)the path to life,
    but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

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29 The one who troubles[a] his family[b] will inherit nothing,[c]
and the fool[d] will be a servant to the wise person.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:29 tn The verb עָכַר (ʿakhar, “to trouble”) refers to actions which make life difficult for one’s family (BDB 747 s.v.). He will be cut out of the family inheritance.
  2. Proverbs 11:29 tn Heb “his house.” The term בֵּית (bet, “house”) is a synecdoche of container (= house) for its contents (= family, household).
  3. Proverbs 11:29 tn Heb “the wind” (so KJV, NCV, NLT); NAB “empty air.” The word “wind” (רוּחַ, ruakh) refers to what cannot be grasped (Prov 27:16; Eccl 1:14, 17). The figure is a hypocatastasis, comparing wind to what he inherits—nothing he can put his hands on. Cf. CEV “won’t inherit a thing.”
  4. Proverbs 11:29 sn The “fool” here is the “troubler” of the first half. One who mismanages his affairs so badly so that there is nothing for the family may have to sell himself into slavery to the wise. The ideas of the two halves of the verse are complementary.
  5. Proverbs 11:29 tn Heb “the wise of mind.” The noun לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) functions as a genitive of specification: “wise in the mind” or “wise-minded.” Cf. “wisehearted” NASB; “wise of heart” ESV, NKJV. The term לֵב represents the person in this case (a synecdoche of part for the whole) because it is the seat of thinking and wisdom; see BDB 525 s.v. 7.

29 Whoever (A)troubles his own household will (B)inherit the wind,
    and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.

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12 The one who loves discipline loves knowledge,[a]
but the one who hates reproof is stupid.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 12:1 sn Those who wish to improve themselves must learn to accept correction; the fool hates/rejects any correction.
  2. Proverbs 12:1 tn The word בַּעַר (baʿar, “stupid, brutish”) comes from בְּעִיר (beʿir, “beast, cattle). It refers to a lack of rationality (Ps 49:10; 73:22; 92:7; 30:2). The verbal derivative is used to convey “deficiency in moral and religious, rather than intellectual aspects” (NIDOTTE 679 s.v. בָּעַר).

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
    but he who (A)hates reproof is (B)stupid.

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13 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline,[a]
but a scoffer[b] has never listened to[c] rebuke.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:1 tc The MT reads “a wise son, discipline of a father.” Instead of מוּסָר (musar, “discipline”), G. R. Driver suggested reading this word as מְיֻסַּר (meyussar, “allows himself to be disciplined”); see his “Hebrew Notes on Prophets and Proverbs,” JTS 41 (1940): 174. A few Medieval Hebrew manuscripts, the LXX, and the Syriac read יִשְׁמַע (yishmaʿ) “a wise son listens to/obeys his father.” The translation, “accepts…discipline,” reflects the notion intended by either.
  2. Proverbs 13:1 sn The “scoffer” is the worst kind of fool. He has no respect for authority, reviles worship of God, and is unteachable because he thinks he knows it all. The change to a stronger word in the second colon—“rebuke” (גָּעַר, gaʿar)—shows that he does not respond to instruction on any level. Cf. NLT “a young mocker,” taking this to refer to the opposite of the “wise son” in the first colon.
  3. Proverbs 13:1 tn Heb “has not listened.” The perfect verb has been chosen to emphasize the past pattern of the scoffer.

13 A wise son hears his father's instruction,
    but (A)a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

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18 The one who neglects[a] discipline ends up in[b] poverty and shame,
but the one who accepts reproof is honored.[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:18 tn The verb III פָּרַע (paraʿ) normally means “to let go; to let alone” and here “to neglect; to avoid; to reject” (BDB 828 s.v.).
  2. Proverbs 13:18 tn The phrase “ends up in” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the parallelism; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.
  3. Proverbs 13:18 sn Honor and success are contrasted with poverty and shame; the key to enjoying the one and escaping the other is discipline and correction. W. McKane, Proverbs (OTL), 456, notes that it is a difference between a man of weight (power and wealth, from the idea of “heavy” for “honor”) and the man of straw (lowly esteemed and poor).

18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who (A)ignores instruction,
    (B)but whoever (C)heeds reproof is honored.

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A fool rejects his father’s discipline,
but whoever heeds reproof shows good sense.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:5 tn Heb “is prudent” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NCV, NLT “is wise.” Anyone who accepts correction or rebuke will become prudent in life.

(A)A fool (B)despises his father's instruction,
    but (C)whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

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10 Severe discipline[a] is for the one who abandons the way;
the one who hates reproof[b] will die.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:10 tn The two lines are parallel synonymously, so the “severe discipline” of the first colon is parallel to “will die” of the second. The expression מוּסָר רָע (musar raʿ, “severe discipline”) indicates a discipline that is catastrophic or harmful to life.
  2. Proverbs 15:10 sn If this line and the previous line are synonymous, then the one who abandons the way also refuses any correction, and so there is severe punishment. To abandon the way means to leave the life of righteousness which is the repeated subject of the book of Proverbs.

10 There is (A)severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
    (B)whoever hates reproof will die.

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12 The scorner will not love[a] one who corrects him;[b]
he will not go to[c] the wise.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:12 tn The verb אָהֵב (ʾahev, “to love”) is stative, so its imperfect form should be future tense.sn This is an understatement, the opposite being intended (a figure called tapeinosis). A scorner rejects any efforts to reform him.
  2. Proverbs 15:12 tn The form הוֹכֵחַ (hokheakh) is a Hiphil infinitive absolute. It could function as the object of the verb (cf. NIV, NRSV) or as a finite verb (cf. KJV, NASB, NLT). The latter has been chosen here because of the prepositional phrase following it, although that is not a conclusive argument.
  3. Proverbs 15:12 tc The MT has אֶל (ʾel, “to [the wise]”), suggesting seeking the advice of the wise. The LXX, however, has “with the wise,” suggesting אֶת (ʾet).

12 (A)A scoffer (B)does not like to be reproved;
    he will not go to the wise.

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31 The person[a] who hears the reproof that leads to life[b]
is at home[c] among the wise.[d]
32 The one who refuses correction despises himself,[e]
but whoever listens to[f] reproof acquires understanding.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:31 tn Heb “ear” (so KJV, NRSV). The term “ear” is a synecdoche of part (= ear) for the whole (= person).
  2. Proverbs 15:31 tn “Life” is an objective genitive: Reproof brings or preserves life. Cf. NIV “life-giving rebuke”; NLT “constructive criticism.”
  3. Proverbs 15:31 tn Heb “lodges.” This means to live with, to be at home with.
  4. Proverbs 15:31 sn The proverb is one full sentence; it affirms that a teachable person is among the wise.
  5. Proverbs 15:32 sn To “despise oneself” means to reject oneself as if there was little value. The one who ignores discipline is not interested in improving himself.
  6. Proverbs 15:32 tn The nuances of שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) include hearing and obeying or carrying out what was said. Cf. “heeds” so NAB, NIV, NKJV, NRSV.
  7. Proverbs 15:32 tn The term לֵב (lev, “mind, heart”) is used as a metonymy of association for what one does with the mind (thinking), and so refers to discernment, wisdom, good sense.

31 (A)The ear that listens to (B)life-giving reproof
    will dwell among the wise.
32 Whoever (C)ignores instruction (D)despises himself,
    but he who listens to reproof (E)gains intelligence.

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14 A king’s wrath[a] is like[b] a messenger of death,[c]
but a wise person appeases it.[d]
15 In the light of the king’s face[e] there is life,
and his favor is like the clouds[f] of the spring rain.[g]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 16:14 sn This proverb introduces the danger of becoming a victim of the king’s wrath (cf. CEV “if the king becomes angry, someone may die”). A wise person knows how to pacify the unexpected and irrational behavior of a king. The proverb makes the statement, and then gives the response to the subject.
  2. Proverbs 16:14 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.
  3. Proverbs 16:14 tn The expression uses an implied comparison, comparing “wrath” to a messenger because it will send a message. The qualification is “death,” an objective genitive, meaning the messenger will bring death, or the message will be about death. E.g., 1 Kgs 2:25, 29-34 and 46. Some have suggested a comparison with the two messengers of Baal to the god Mot (“Death”) in the Ugaritic tablets (H. L. Ginsberg, “Baal’s Two Messengers,” BASOR 95 [1944]: 25-30). If there is an allusion, it is a very slight one. The verse simply says that the king’s wrath threatens death.
  4. Proverbs 16:14 tn The verb is כָּפַר (kafar), which means “to pacify; to appease” and “to atone; to expiate” in Levitical passages. It would take a wise person to know how to calm or pacify the wrath of a king—especially in the ancient Near East.
  5. Proverbs 16:15 tn Heb “the light of the face of the king.” This expression is a way of describing the king’s brightened face, his delight in what is taking place. This would mean life for those around him.sn The proverb is the antithesis of 16:14.
  6. Proverbs 16:15 tn Heb “cloud.”
  7. Proverbs 16:15 tn Heb “latter rain” (so KJV, ASV). The favor that this expression represents is now compared to the cloud of rain that comes with the “latter” rain or harvest rain. The point is that the rain cloud was necessary for the successful harvest; likewise the king’s pleasure will ensure the success and the productivity of the people under him. E.g., also Psalm 72:15-17; the prosperity of the land is portrayed as a blessing on account of the ideal king.

14 (A)A king's wrath is a messenger of death,
    and a wise man will (B)appease it.
15 (C)In the light of a king's face there is life,
    and his (D)favor is like (E)the clouds that bring the spring rain.

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A servant who acts wisely[a] will rule
over[b] an heir[c] who behaves shamefully,[d]
and will share the inheritance along with the relatives.[e]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 17:2 sn The setting is in the ancient world where a servant rarely advanced beyond his or her station in life. But there are notable exceptions (e.g., Gen 15:3 where the possibility is mentioned, 1 Chr 2:35 where it changed through marriage, and 2 Sam 16:1-4; 19:24-30, with the story of Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth). This proverb focuses on a servant who is wise, one who uses all his abilities effectively—a Joseph figure.
  2. Proverbs 17:2 sn The parallelism indicates that “ruling over” and “sharing in the inheritance” means that the disgraceful son will be disinherited.
  3. Proverbs 17:2 tn Heb “son.”
  4. Proverbs 17:2 tn The form מֵבִישׁ (mevish) is a Hiphil participle, modifying בֵּן (ben). This original heir would then be one who caused shame or disgrace to the family, probably by showing a complete lack of wisdom in the choices he made.
  5. Proverbs 17:2 tn Heb “in the midst of the brothers”; NIV “as one of the brothers.”

A servant who deals wisely will rule over (A)a son who acts shamefully
    and (B)will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

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