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Proverbs 20:7
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:7
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:7 sn Two terms describe the subject of this proverb: “righteous” and “integrity.” The first describes the person as a member of the covenant community who strives to live according to God’s standards; the second emphasizes that his lifestyle is blameless.
- Proverbs 20:7 tn Heb “walks in his integrity” (so NASB); cf. NIV “leads a blameless life.” The Hitpael participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) means “to walk about; to walk to and fro.” The idiom of walking representing living is intensified here in this stem. This verbal stem is used in scripture to describe people “walking with” God.
- Proverbs 20:7 sn The nature and the actions of parents have an effect on children (e.g., Exod 20:4-6); if the parents are righteous, the children will enjoy a blessing—the respect and the happiness which the parent reflects on them.
Proverbs 20:7
World English Bible
Proverbs 20:7
World English Bible
7 A righteous man walks in integrity.
Blessed are his children after him.
Proverbs 20:10
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:10
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:10 tn The construction simply uses repetition to express different kinds of weights and measures: “a stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah.”
- Proverbs 20:10 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The phrase features a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.” sn Behind this proverb is the image of the dishonest merchant who has different sets of weights and measures which are used to cheat customers. The Lord hates dishonesty in business transactions.
Proverbs 20:10
World English Bible
Proverbs 20:10
World English Bible
10 Differing weights and differing measures,
both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
Proverbs 20:14
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:14
New English Translation
14 “It’s worthless! It’s worthless!”[a] says the buyer,[b]
but when he goes on his way, he boasts.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:14 tn Heb “[It is] bad, [it is] bad.” Since “bad” can be understood in some modern contexts as a descriptive adjective meaning “good,” the translation uses “worthless” instead—the real point of the prospective buyer’s exclamation.
- Proverbs 20:14 sn This proverb reflects standard procedure in the business world. When negotiating the transaction the buyer complains how bad the deal is for him, or how worthless the prospective purchase, but then later brags about what a good deal he got. The proverb will alert the inexperienced as to how things are done.
- Proverbs 20:14 tn The Hitpael imperfect of הָלַל (halal) means “to praise”—to talk in glowing terms, excitedly. In this stem it means “to praise oneself; to boast.”
Proverbs 20:14
World English Bible
Proverbs 20:14
World English Bible
14 “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer;
but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
Proverbs 20:17
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:17
New English Translation
17 Bread gained by deceit[a] tastes sweet to a person,[b]
but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:17 tn Heb “bread of deceit” (so KJV, NAB). This refers to food gained through dishonest means. The term “bread” is a synecdoche of specific for general, referring to anything obtained by fraud, including food.
- Proverbs 20:17 tn Heb “a man.”
- Proverbs 20:17 sn The image of food and eating is carried throughout the proverb. Food taken by fraud seems sweet at first, but afterward it is not. To end up with a mouth full of gravel (a mass of small particles; e.g., Job 20:14-15; Lam 3:16) implies by comparison that what has been taken by fraud will be worthless and useless and certainly in the way (like food turning into sand and dirt).
Proverbs 20:17
World English Bible
Proverbs 20:17
World English Bible
17 Fraudulent food is sweet to a man,
but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel.
Proverbs 20:25
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:25
New English Translation
25 It is a snare[a] for a person[b] to rashly cry,[c] “Holy!”
and only afterward to consider[d] what he has vowed.[e]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:25 sn It would be a “snare” because it would lead people into financial difficulties; Leviticus 27 talks about foolish or rash vows.
- Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “a man.”
- Proverbs 20:25 tn The verb is from לוּע (luʿ) or לָעַע (laʿaʿ); it means “to talk wildly” (not to be confused with the homonym “to swallow”). It occurs here and in Job 6:3. sn This refers to speaking rashly in dedicating something to the sanctuary by calling it “Holy.”
- Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “reflect on.” The person is to consider the vows before making them, to ensure that they can be fulfilled. Too many people make their vow or promise without thinking, and then later worry about how they will fulfill their vows.
- Proverbs 20:25 tn Heb “the vows” (so NASB); CEV “promises.”
Proverbs 20:25
World English Bible
Proverbs 20:25
World English Bible
25 It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication,
then later to consider his vows.
New English Translation (NET)
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