Proverbs 31:9

New English Translation

⁹Open your mouth, judge in righteousness,^[a]
and plead the cause^[b] of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 31:9 tn The noun צֶדֶק (tsedeq) serves here as an adverbial accusative of manner. The decisions reached (שְׁפָט, sh^efat) in this advocacy must conform to the standard of the law. So it is a little stronger than “judging fairly” (cf. NIV, NCV), although it will be fair if it is done righteously for all.
Proverbs 31:9 sn Previously the noun דִּין (din, judgment”) was used, signifying the legal rights or the pleas of the people. Now the imperative דִּין is used. It could be translated “judge,” but in this context “judge the poor” could be misunderstood to mean “condemn.” Here advocacy is in view, and so “plead the cause” is a better translation (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV “defend the rights”). It was—and is—the responsibility of the king (ruler) to champion the rights of the poor and needy, who otherwise would be ignored and oppressed. They are the ones left destitute by the cruelties and inequalities of life (e.g., 2 Sam 14:4-11; 1 Kgs 3:16-28; Pss 45:3-5; 72:4; Isa 9:6-7).

Proverbs 31:9

Legacy Standard Bible

⁹Open your mouth, ^(A)judge righteously,
And render ^(B)justice to the afflicted and needy.

²⁰She opened^[a] her hand^[b] to the poor,
and extended^[c] her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:20 tn The verb (פָּרְשָׁה, par^eshah) is a perfect form of a dynamic verb. As such, it should be understood as past tense or perfective.sn The parallel expressions here underscore her care for the needy. The first part uses “she spread her palm” and the second “she extended her hands,” repeating some of the vocabulary introduced in the last verse.
Proverbs 31:20 tn The first word of the eleventh line begins with כ (kaf), the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Proverbs 31:20 tn This is the same verb form that began verse 19, the Piel perfect of שָׁלַח (shalakh). It may have the same plurative notion emphasizing that she often ministered to the poor. As the perfect form of a dynamic verb it should be understood as past tense or perfective.

²⁰She ^[a]^(A)extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

New English Translation (NET)

Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

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