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The reward[a] for humility[b] and fearing the Lord[c]
is riches and honor and life.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:4 tn The Hebrew term עֵקֶב (ʿeqev, “reward”) is related to the term meaning “heel”; it refers to the consequences or the reward that follows (akin to the English expression “on the heels of”).
  2. Proverbs 22:4 tn “Humility” is used here in the religious sense of “piety”; it is appropriately joined with “the fear of the Lord.” Some commentators, however, make “the fear of the Lord” the first in the series of rewards for humility, but that arrangement is less likely here.
  3. Proverbs 22:4 tn Heb “the fear of the Lord.” This is an objective genitive; the Lord is the object of the fear.

The reward of humility and [a]the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor, and life.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:4 Or reverence for

17 Do not let your heart envy[a] sinners,
but rather be zealous in fearing the Lord[b] all the time.
18 For surely there is a future,[c]
and your hope will not be cut off.[d]
19 Listen, my child,[e] and be wise,
and guide your heart on the right way.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:17 tn The verb in this line is אַל־יְקַנֵּא (ʾal yeqanneʾ), the Piel jussive negated. The verb means “to be jealous, to be zealous”; it describes passionate intensity for something. In English, if the object is illegitimate, it is called “envy”; if it is correct, it is called “zeal.” Here the warning is not to envy the sinners. The second colon could use the verb in the positive sense to mean “but rather let your passion burn for the fear of the Lord.”
  2. Proverbs 23:17 tn Heb “the fear of the Lord.” This expression features an objective genitive: “fearing the Lord.”
  3. Proverbs 23:18 tn Heb “end” (so KJV); ASV “a reward.”
  4. Proverbs 23:18 sn The saying is an understatement; far from being cut off, the “hope” will be realized in the end. So this saying, the thirteenth, advises people to be zealous for the fear of the Lord, their religion, rather than for anything that sinners have to offer.
  5. Proverbs 23:19 tn Heb “my son,” but the immediate context does not limit this to male children.

17 (A)Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But live in [a]the (B)fear of the Lord [b]always.
18 Certainly there is a [c](C)future,
And your (D)hope will not be cut off.
19 Listen, my son, and (E)be wise,
And (F)direct your heart in the way.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 23:17 Or reverence for
  2. Proverbs 23:17 Lit all the day
  3. Proverbs 23:18 Lit latter end

21 Fear the Lord, my child,[a] as well as the king,
and do not associate[b] with rebels,[c]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 tn Heb “my son,” but there is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to male children.
  2. Proverbs 24:21 tn Heb “do not get mixed up with”; cf. TEV “Have nothing to do with”; NIV “do not join with.” The verb עָרַב (ʿarav) is used elsewhere meaning “to exchange; to take on pledge.” In the Hitpael stem it means “to have fellowship; to share; to associate with.” Some English versions (e.g., KJV) interpret as “to meddle” in this context, because “to have fellowship” is certainly not what is meant.
  3. Proverbs 24:21 tn The form rendered “rebels” is difficult; it appears to be the Qal active participle, plural, from שָׁנָה (shanah), “to change”—“those who change.” The RV might have thought of the idea of “change” when they rendered it “political agitators.” The Syriac and Tg. Prov 24:21 have “fools,” the Latin has “detractors,” and the LXX reads, “do not disobey either of them,” referring to God and the king in the first line. Accordingly the ruin predicted in the next line would be the ruin that God and the king can inflict. If the idea of “changers” is retained, it would have to mean people who at one time feared God and the king but no longer do.

21 My son, [a](A)fear the Lord and the king;
Do not get involved with those [b]of high rank,

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 24:21 Or revere
  2. Proverbs 24:21 Or who change

Evil people[a] do not understand justice,[b]
but those who seek the Lord[c] understand it all.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:5 tn Heb “men of evil”; the context does not limit this to males only, however.
  2. Proverbs 28:5 tn The term translated “justice” is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat); it refers to the legal rights of people, decisions that are equitable in the community. W. G. Plaut observes that there are always those who think that “justice” is that which benefits them, otherwise it is not justice (Proverbs, 282).
  3. Proverbs 28:5 sn The contrast (and the difference) is between the wicked and those who seek the Lord. Originally the idea of seeking the Lord meant to obtain an oracle (2 Sam 21:1), but then it came to mean devotion to God—seeking to learn and do his will. Only people who are interested in doing the Lord’s will can fully understand justice. Without that standard, legal activity can become self-serving.

Evil people (A)do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord (B)understand everything.

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14 Blessed is the one who is always cautious,[a]
but whoever hardens his heart[b] will fall into evil.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 28:14 tn Most commentators (and some English versions, e.g., NIV) assume that the participle מְפַחֵד (mefakhed, “fears”) means “fears the Lord,” even though “the Lord” is not present in the text. Such an assumption would be more convincing if the word יִרְאַת (yirʾat) had been used. It is possible that the verse refers to fearing sin or its consequences. In other words, the one who is always apprehensive about the nature and consequences of sin will avoid sin and find God’s blessing. Of course the assumption that the phrase means “fear the Lord” could be correct as well. There would be little difference in the outcome; in either case sin would be avoided.
  2. Proverbs 28:14 sn The one who “hardens his heart” in this context is the person who refuses to fear sin and its consequences. The image of the “hard heart” is one of a stubborn will, unyielding and unbending (cf. NCV, TEV, NLT). This individual will fall into sin.

14 How blessed is the person who (A)fears always,
But one who (B)hardens his heart will fall into disaster.

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25 The fear of people[a] becomes[b] a snare,[c]
but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high.[d]
26 Many people seek the face[e] of a ruler,
but it is from the Lord that one receives justice.[f]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:25 tn Heb “the fear of man.” This uses an objective genitive to describe a situation where fearing what people might do or think controls one’s life. There is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to males, so the translation uses the more generic “people” here.
  2. Proverbs 29:25 tn Heb “gives [or yields, or produces]”; NIV “will prove to be.”
  3. Proverbs 29:25 sn “Snare” is an implied comparison; fearing people is like being in a trap—there is no freedom of movement or sense of security.
  4. Proverbs 29:25 sn The image of being set on high comes from the military experience of finding a defensible position, a place of safety and security, such as a high wall or a mountain. Trusting in the Lord sets people free and gives them a sense of safety and security (e.g., Prov 10:27; 12:2).
  5. Proverbs 29:26 sn The idiom seek the face means to try to obtain favor from someone. According to the proverb, many people assume that true justice depends on the disposition of some earthly ruler.
  6. Proverbs 29:26 tn Heb “but from the Lord [is] justice of a man.” The last part uses the construct state followed by the genitive, which here shows the advantage—it is justice for the person. The implication of the matter is that people should seek the Lord’s favor (rather than a human ruler’s) if they want true justice.

25 The (A)fear of man [a]brings a snare,
But one who (B)trusts in the Lord will be protected.
26 (C)Many seek the ruler’s [b]favor,
But (D)justice for mankind comes from the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 29:25 Lit gives
  2. Proverbs 29:26 Lit face