Proverbs 19:11-12
World English Bible
11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger.
It is his glory to overlook an offense.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
Proverbs 19:11-12
New English Translation
11 A person’s wisdom[a] has made him slow to anger,[b]
and it is his glory[c] to overlook[d] an offense.
12 A king’s wrath is like[e] the roar of a lion,[f]
but his favor is like dew on the grass.[g]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:11 tn Or “prudence,” the successful use of wisdom in discretion. Cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT “good sense.”
- Proverbs 19:11 tn Heb “has slowed his anger.” The Hiphil perfect of אָרַךְ (ʾarakh, “to be long”) means “to make long; to prolong.” As the perfect form of a dynamic verb it should understood as past or perfective. Having developed an insightful perspective has resulted in not being quick to respond in anger.
- Proverbs 19:11 sn “Glory” signifies the idea of beauty or adornment. D. Kidner explains that such patience “brings out here the glowing colours of a virtue which in practice may look drably unassertive” (Proverbs [TOTC], 133).
- Proverbs 19:11 tn Heb “to pass over” (so KJV, ASV); NCV, TEV “ignore.” The infinitive construct עֲבֹר (ʿavor) functions as the formal subject of the sentence. This clause provides the cause, whereas the former gave the effect—if one can pass over an offense there will be no anger.sn W. McKane says, “The virtue which is indicated here is more than a forgiving temper; it includes also the ability to shrug off insults and the absence of a brooding hypersensitivity…. It contains elements of toughness and self-discipline; it is the capacity to stifle a hot, emotional rejoinder and to sleep on an insult” (Proverbs [OTL], 530).
- Proverbs 19:12 sn The verse contrasts the “rage” of the king with his “favor” by using two similes. The first simile presents the king at his most dangerous—his anger (e.g., 20:2; Amos 3:4). The second simile presents his favor as beneficial for life (e.g., 16:14-15; 28:15).
- Proverbs 19:12 tn Heb “is a roaring like a lion.”
- Proverbs 19:12 sn The proverb makes an observation about a king’s power to terrify or to refresh. It advises people to use tact with a king.
Proverbs 19:19
World English Bible
19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty,
for if you rescue him, you must do it again.
Proverbs 19:19
New English Translation
19 A person with great anger bears the penalty,[a]
but if you deliver him from it once, you will have to do it again.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:19 sn The Hebrew word means “indemnity, fine”; this suggests that the trouble could be legal, and the angry person has to pay for it.
- Proverbs 19:19 tn The second colon of the verse is very difficult, and there have been many proposals as to its meaning: (1) “If you save [your enemy], you will add [good to yourself]”; (2) “If you save [your son by chastening], you may continue [chastisement and so educate him]”; (3) “If you deliver [him by paying the fine for him once], you will have to do it again”; (4) “If you save [him this time], you will have to increase [the punishment later on].” All interpretations have to supply a considerable amount of material (indicated by brackets). Many English versions are similar to (3).
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