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Proverbs 3:33-34
New English Translation
Proverbs 3:33-34
New English Translation
33 The Lord’s curse[a] is on the household[b] of the wicked,[c]
but he blesses[d] the home[e] of the righteous.[f]
34 With[g] arrogant scoffers[h] he is scornful,
yet he shows favor to the humble.[i]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:33 tn Or “the curse of the Lord,” a subjective genitive indicating the curse that the Lord makes. The noun מְאֵרַה (meʾerah, “curse”) is the opposite, or antonym, of בְּרָכָה (berakhah, “blessing”). It is associated with poverty and affliction. The curse of God brings ruin and failure to crops, land in general, an individual, or the nation (Deut 28:20; Mal 2:2; 3:9; see BDB 76 s.v.; HALOT 541 s.v.).
- Proverbs 3:33 tn Heb “house.” The term בֵּית (bet, “house”) functions as a synecdoche of container (= house) for the persons contained (= household). See, e.g., Exod 1:21; Deut 6:22; Josh 22:15 (BDB 109 s.v. 5.a).
- Proverbs 3:33 sn The term “wicked” is singular; the term “righteous” in the second half of the verse is plural. In scripture such changes often hint at God’s reluctance to curse, but eagerness to bless (e.g., Gen 12:3).
- Proverbs 3:33 sn The term “bless” (בָּרַךְ, barakh) is the antithesis of “curse.” A blessing is a gift, enrichment, or endowment. The blessing of God empowers one with the ability to succeed, and brings vitality and prosperity in the material realm, but especially in one’s spiritual relationship with God.
- Proverbs 3:33 tn Heb “habitation.” The noun נָוֶה (naveh, “habitation; abode”), which is the poetic parallel to בֵּית (bet, “house”), usually refers to the abode of a shepherd in the country: “habitation” in the country (BDB 627 s.v. נָוֶה). It functions as a synecdoche of container (= habitation) for the contents (= people in the habitation and all they possess).
- Proverbs 3:33 tn The Hebrew is structured chiastically (AB:BA): “The curse of the Lord / is on the house of the wicked // but the home of the righteous / he blesses.” The word order in the translation is reversed for the sake of smoothness and readability.
- Proverbs 3:34 tc The MT reads אִם (ʾim, “if”) and the syntax is אִם (ʾim) plus imperfect verb followed by vav plus perfect consecutive. This particle can introduce a realizable or unrealizable condition, or a concessive clause (HALOT 60-61 s.v.). A realizable condition presents the circumstance in which the apodosis is realized, “if/when he is scornful…, then he will show favor.” An unrealizable condition or a concessive clause should be rendered “even if” or “although [X would be],” referring to something that is not the case, as in, “even if he would be scornful…, then…” (cf. Num 22:18, 1 Kgs 13:8; Job 9:15; Jer 15:1). Neither of these options fit the context well. The content of the second half of the verse does not depend on the first half. And the first half is not to be understood as an unrealizable or unexpected condition, rather both are truisms. An alternative is to read the similarly sounding term עִם (ʿim, “with”), “with the scorners he is scornful” (cf. Ps 18:25-26). The LXX does not have a conditional particle, so it may not have read אִם (ʾim, “if”), but also it does not have μετὰ (meta, “with”) so it is not clear that it read עִם (ʾim, “with”). The translation presumes the particle עִם.
- Proverbs 3:34 tn Heb “with those who mock he will mock.” The repetition of the root לִיץ (lits, “to scorn; to mock”) connotes poetic justice; the punishment fits the crime. Scoffers are characterized by arrogant pride (e.g., Prov 21:24), as the antithetical parallelism with “the humble” here emphasizes.
- Proverbs 3:34 tc The Kethib reads וְלַעֲנִיִּים (velaʿaniyyim) from עָנִי (ʿani, “afflicted”), followed by the NASB. The Qere, supported by the LXX, Targum, and Latin Vulgate reads וְלַעֲנָוִים (velaʿanavim) from עָנָו (ʿanav, “meek, humble”) followed by the NIV, ESV, NRSV and others.
Proverbs 3:33-34
English Standard Version
Proverbs 3:33-34
English Standard Version
33 (A)The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he (B)blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the (C)scorners he (D)is scornful,
(E)but to the humble he gives favor.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 3:34 Or grace
Proverbs 4:23-27
New English Translation
Proverbs 4:23-27
New English Translation
23 Guard your heart[a] with all vigilance,[b]
for from it are the sources[c] of life.
24 Remove perverse speech[d] from your mouth;[e]
keep devious talk far from your lips.[f]
25 Let your eyes look directly[g] in front of you
and let your gaze[h] look straight before you.
26 Make the path for your feet[i] level,[j]
so that[k] all your ways may be established.[l]
27 Do not turn[m] to the right or to the left;
turn yourself[n] away from evil.[o]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:23 tn Anatomically the Hebrew word לֵב (lev) refers to the “heart.” But abstractly it can refer to one’s inner self, will, understanding, or mind. They did not see the heart and mind in opposition, such that the advice here includes both one’s thinking and feelings.
- Proverbs 4:23 tn Heb “more than any guard.” The preposition מִן (min) has its comparative sense “more than.” The noun מִשְׁמָר (mishmar) refers here to the act of guarding, protection, or vigilance (BDB 1038 s.v. מִשְׁמָר; HALOT 649 s.v. מִשְׁמָר).
- Proverbs 4:23 sn The word תּוֹצְאוֹת (totseʾot, from יָצָא, yatsaʾ) means “outgoings; extremities; sources.” It is used here for starting points, like a fountainhead, and so the translation “sources” works well.
- Proverbs 4:24 tn Heb “crookedness.” The noun עִקְּשׁוּת (ʿiqqeshut) refers to what is morally twisted or perverted. Here it refers to things that are said (cf. NAB “dishonest talk”; NRSV “crooked speech”). The term “mouth” functions as a metonymy of cause for perverse speech. Such perverse talking could be subtle or blatant.
- Proverbs 4:24 tn Heb “crookedness of mouth.”
- Proverbs 4:24 tn Heb “deviousness of lips put far from you.”
- Proverbs 4:25 tn The jussives in this verse are both Hiphil, the first from the verb “to gaze; to look intently [or, carefully],” (נָבַט, navat) and the second from the verb “to be smooth, straight” (יָשָׁר, yashar).
- Proverbs 4:25 tn Heb “your eyelids.” The term “eyelids” is often a poetic synonym for “eye” (it is a metonymy of adjunct, something connected with the eye put for the eye that sees); it may intensify the idea as one might squint to gain a clearer look.
- Proverbs 4:26 tn Heb “path of your foot.”
- Proverbs 4:26 sn The verb is a denominative Piel from the word פֶּלֶס (peles), “balance; scale.” In addition to telling the disciple to keep focused on a righteous life, the sage tells him to keep his path level, which is figurative for living the righteous life.
- Proverbs 4:26 tn Following an imperative, a vav plus imperfect verb can depict purpose or result.
- Proverbs 4:26 tn The Niphal jussive from כּוּן (kun, “to be fixed; to be established; to be steadfast”) continues the idiom of walking and ways for the moral sense in life.
- Proverbs 4:27 sn The two verbs in this verse are from different roots, but nonetheless share the same semantic domain. The first verb is תֵּט (tet), a jussive from נָטָה (natah), which means “to turn aside” (Hiphil); the second verb is the Hiphil imperative of סוּר (sur), which means “to cause to turn to the side” (Hiphil). The disciple is not to leave the path of righteousness, but to stay on the path he must leave evil.
- Proverbs 4:27 tn Heb “your foot” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV). The term רַגְלְךָ (raglekha, “your foot”) is a synecdoche of part (= foot) for the whole person (= “yourself”).
- Proverbs 4:27 tc The LXX adds, “For the way of the right hand God knows, but those of the left hand are distorted; and he himself will make straight your paths and guide your goings in peace.” The ideas presented here are not out of harmony with Proverbs, but the section clearly shows an expansion by the translator. For a brief discussion of whether this addition is Jewish or early Christian, see C. H. Toy, Proverbs (ICC), 99.
Proverbs 4:23-27
English Standard Version
Proverbs 4:23-27
English Standard Version
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for (A)from it flow (B)the springs of life.
24 Put away from you (C)crooked speech,
and put (D)devious talk far from you.
25 (E)Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 (F)Ponder[a] the path of your feet;
(G)then all your ways will be sure.
27 (H)Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 4:26 Or Make level
Proverbs 8:35
New English Translation
Proverbs 8:35
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:35 tc The Kethib reads the verb as a plural participle: “the one who finds me are finders of life.” The LXX reads a plural subject: “those who find me.” But the Hebrew Qere reads a singular perfect verb. The next verb is a preterite, which commonly follows the perfect but very rarely a participle. The perfect form of a dynamic verb should be translated as past or perfective.
- Proverbs 8:35 tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive continues the time frame of the perfect verb that came before it. sn The sage uses these verb forms in contrast with the following verse, which is present tense. The antithetic parallelism contrasts not just the subject (who finds vs. who misses) and the verb (to find vs. to harm) but also the state of the outcome. This person found life and continues in the benefit: “had found life.”
Proverbs 8:35
English Standard Version
Proverbs 8:35
English Standard Version
Proverbs 10:6
New English Translation
Proverbs 10:6
New English Translation
6 Blessings[a] are on the head of the righteous,
but the speech[b] of the wicked conceals[c] violence.[d]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 10:6 sn The word “blessings” has the sense of gifts, enrichments, that is, the rewards or the results of being righteous. The blessings come either from the people the righteous deal with, or from God. CEV understands the blessings as praise for good behavior (“Everyone praises good people”).
- Proverbs 10:6 tn Heb “the mouth.” The term פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) functions as a metonymy of cause for speech.
- Proverbs 10:6 tn Heb “covers.” Behind the speech of the wicked is aggressive violence (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 422).
- Proverbs 10:6 tn The syntax of this line is ambiguous. The translation takes “the mouth of the wicked” as the nominative subject and “violence” as the accusative direct object; however, the subject might be “violence,” hence: “violence covers the mouth of the wicked” (cf. KJV, ASV, NIV).
Proverbs 10:6
English Standard Version
Proverbs 10:6
English Standard Version
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 10:6 Or but violence covers the mouth of the wicked; also verse 11
Proverbs 11:17
New English Translation
Proverbs 11:17
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:17 tn Heb “man of kindness,” “of loyalty,” or “of loyal love.”sn This contrasts the “kind person” and the “cruel person” (one who is fierce, cruel), showing the consequences of their dispositions.
- Proverbs 11:17 tn The term גֹּמֶל (gomel) means “to deal fully [or “adequately”] with” someone or something. The kind person will benefit himself.
- Proverbs 11:17 tn Heb “his own soul.” The term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”) is used as a synecdoche of part (= soul) for the whole (= person): “himself” (BDB 660 s.v. 4).
- Proverbs 11:17 tn Heb “brings trouble to his flesh.”sn There may be a conscious effort by the sage to contrast “soul” and “body”: He contrasts the benefits of kindness for the “soul” (translated “himself”) with the trouble that comes to the “flesh/body” (translated “himself”) of the cruel.
Proverbs 11:17
English Standard Version
Proverbs 11:17
English Standard Version
17 (A)A man who is kind benefits himself,
but a cruel man hurts himself.
Proverbs 11:31
New English Translation
Proverbs 11:31
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:31 tc The LXX introduces a new idea: “If the righteous be scarcely saved” (reflected in 1 Pet 4:18). The Greek translation “scarcely” could have come from a Vorlage of בַּצָּרָה (batsarah, “deficiency” or “want”) or בָּצַּר (batsar, “to cut off; to shorten”) perhaps arising from confusion over the letters בָּאָרֶץ (baʾarets, “on the land/earth”). The verb “receive due” could only be translated “saved” by an indirect interpretation. See J. Barr, “בארץ ~ ΜΟΛΙΣ: Prov. XI.31, I Pet. IV.18, ” JSS 20 (1975): 149-64.
- Proverbs 11:31 tn This construction is one of the “how much more” arguments—if this be true, how much more this (arguing from the lesser to the greater). The point is that if the righteous suffer for their sins, certainly the wicked will as well.
- Proverbs 11:31 tn Heb “the wicked and the sinner.” The two terms may form a hendiadys with the first functioning adjectivally: “the wicked sinner.”
Proverbs 11:31
English Standard Version
Proverbs 11:31
English Standard Version
31 If (A)the righteous is repaid on earth,
how much more the wicked and the sinner!
Proverbs 12:2
New English Translation
Proverbs 12:2
New English Translation
2 A good person obtains favor from the Lord,
but the Lord[a] condemns a person with wicked schemes.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:2 tn Heb “but he condemns.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Proverbs 12:2 tn Heb “a man of wicked plans.” The noun מְזִמּוֹת (mezimmot, “evil plans”) functions as an attributive genitive: “an evil-scheming man.” Cf. NASB “a man who devises evil”; NAB “the schemer.”
Proverbs 12:2
English Standard Version
Proverbs 12:2
English Standard Version
2 A good man (A)obtains favor from the Lord,
but a man of evil devices he condemns.
Proverbs 12:12
New English Translation
Proverbs 12:12
New English Translation
12 The wicked person has desired[a] the stronghold[b] of the wicked,
but the root of the righteous will yield fruit.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 12:12 sn The contrast includes a contrast of verb forms, here the perfect verb “has desired,” next the imperfect verb “will yield [fruit].” The perfect verb leaves the wicked at the point of desire for a goal. He or she has [only] desired, but there is no implication of achievement. In contrast the righteous are described not in terms of their goal or desire, but their root, implying their foundation or character. Their focus is different but their root will yield fruit or be productive.
- Proverbs 12:12 tn This line is difficult to interpret. BDB connects the term מְצוֹד (metsod) to II מָצוֹד which means (1) “snare; hunting-net” and (2) what is caught: “prey” (BDB 844-45 s.v. II מָצוֹד). This would function as a metonymy of cause for what the net catches: the prey. Or it may be saying that the wicked get caught in their own net, that is, reap the consequences of their own sins. On the other hand, HALOT 622 connects מְצוֹד (metsod) to II מְצוּדָה (metsudah, “mountain stronghold”; cf. NAB “the stronghold of evil men will be demolished”). The LXX translated it as: “The desires of the wicked are evil.” The Syriac has: “The wicked desire to do evil.” The Latin expands it: “The desire of the wicked is a defense of the worst [things, or persons].” C. H. Toy suggests emending the text to read “wickedness is the net of bad men” (Proverbs [ICC], 250).
- Proverbs 12:12 tc The MT reads יִתֵּן (yitten, “will give; gives,” without a direct object: “the root of the righteous gives.” The LXX reads “the root of the righteous endures” (cf. NAB). This suggests a Hebrew Vorlage of אֵיתָן (ʾetan, “constant; continual”; HALOT 44-45 s.v. I אֵיתָן 2) which would involve the omission of א (ʾalef) in the MT.tn Heb “will give/yield.” The verb נָתַן (natan) is used elsewhere in the phrase to “produce fruit” (e.g. Lev 25:19 of the land; Zech 8:12 of the vine). Yielding fruit can be a natural implication of healthy roots (cf. Ps. 1:3; Isa 11:1; Jer 12:2). The sage has probably left out specific mention of the word “fruit” to heighten the contrast between desiring a goal and receiving a result which is the byproduct of good character. However the omission may imply a text critical problem.
Proverbs 12:12
English Standard Version
Proverbs 12:12
English Standard Version
12 Whoever is wicked covets (A)the spoil of evildoers,
but the root of the righteous bears fruit.
Proverbs 13:21
New English Translation
Proverbs 13:21
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:21 tn Heb “evil.” The term רָעָה (raʿah, “evil”) here functions in a metonymical sense meaning “calamity.” “Good” is the general idea of good fortune or prosperity; the opposite, “evil,” is likewise “misfortune” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV) or calamity.
- Proverbs 13:21 sn This statement deals with recompense in generalizing terms. It is this principle in an absolute sense, without allowing for any of the exceptions that Proverbs itself acknowledges, that Job’s friends applied (incorrectly) to his suffering.
Proverbs 13:21
English Standard Version
Proverbs 13:21
English Standard Version
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:21 Or Evil
Proverbs 14:14
New English Translation
Proverbs 14:14
New English Translation
14 The backslider[a] will be paid back[b] from his own ways,
but a good person will be rewarded[c] for his.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:14 tn Heb “a backslidden heart.” The term סוּג (sug) means “to move away; to move backwards; to depart; to backslide” (BDB 690 s.v. I סוּג). This individual is the one who backslides, that is, who departs from the path of righteousness.
- Proverbs 14:14 tn Heb “will be filled”; cf. KJV, ASV. The verb (“to be filled, to be satisfied”) here means “to be repaid,” that is, to partake in his own evil ways. His faithlessness will come back to haunt him.
- Proverbs 14:14 tn The phrase “will be rewarded” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied based on the parallelism for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
Proverbs 14:14
English Standard Version
Proverbs 14:14
English Standard Version
14 The backslider in heart will be (A)filled with the fruit of his ways,
and (B)a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
Proverbs 18:22
New English Translation
Proverbs 18:22
New English Translation
22 The one who has found[a] a good[b] wife has found what goodness is,[c]
and obtained a delightful gift[d] from the Lord.[e]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:22 tn The verb מָצָא (matsaʾ, translated “has found”) is used twice in the first colon. As the perfect form of a dynamic root, the verb should be understood as past or perfective. The first verb sets the premise—the case where a man has found a good wife. The second verb makes an evaluative comment about the premise.
- Proverbs 18:22 tc Some Hebrew manuscripts, the LXX, the Syriac, the Targum, and some Latin witnesses include the adjective “good” (טוֺבָה; tovah). Its omission in the MT resulted from the common scribal mistake of homoeoteleuton, omitting a word when two successive words have a similar ending.tn The adjective “good” has a broad meaning and may mean “virtuous,” “kind,” “cheerful,” or “content.”sn The significance of the adjective is affirmed by realizing that this proverb should not contradict Prov 19:13; 21:9; 25:24; and 27:15. These verses do not paint the contentious wife as a benefit.
- Proverbs 18:22 tc Heb טוֹב (tov) “a good [thing]” or “[what is] good.” The LXX translates with a noun “grace/favor” which may imply the Hebrew noun טוֹב (tov), or the noun טוּב (tuv), a different reading of the same consonants. Both nouns mean “goodness,” “well-being;” “happiness.”sn The term טוֹב (tov, “good; enjoyable; favorable; virtuous”) might be an allusion to Gen 2:18, which affirms that it is not good for man to be alone. The word describes that which is pleasing to God, beneficial for life, and abundantly enjoyable.
- Proverbs 18:22 tn Heb “what is pleasing; what brings delight.” The noun רָצוֹן (ratson, “what is pleasing”). This is not the specific religious sense of finding acceptance before the Lord (a when bringing a sacrifice, e.g. Lev 1:3) but the general sense of delight. Yet this fortunate condition of having a virtuous, cheerful wife is described as providentially from God, cf. CEV “she is a gift from the Lord.”
- Proverbs 18:22 tc The LXX adds this embellishment to complete the thought: “Whoever puts away a good wife puts away good, and whoever keeps an adulteress is foolish and ungodly.”
Proverbs 18:22
English Standard Version
Proverbs 18:22
English Standard Version
Proverbs 22:9
New English Translation
Proverbs 22:9
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:9 tn Heb “good of eye.” This expression is an attributive genitive meaning “bountiful of eye” (cf. KJV, ASV “He that hath a bountiful eye”). This is the opposite of the “evil eye” which is covetous and wicked. The “eye” is a metonymy representing looking well to people’s needs. So this refers to the generous person (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
- Proverbs 22:9 tn The form יְבֹרָךְ (yevorakh) is a Pual imperfect (here in pause) from בָּרַךְ (barakh); the word means “blessed” in the sense of “enriched,” implying there is a practical reward for being generous to the poor.
- Proverbs 22:9 sn It is from his own food that he gives to the poor. Of the many observations that could be made, it is worth noting that in blessing this kind of person God is in fact providing for the poor, because out of his blessing he will surely continue to share more. Also, the blessing is not for those who take the resources of others and redistribute that to the poor.
Proverbs 22:9
English Standard Version
Proverbs 22:9
English Standard Version
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 22:9 Hebrew good
New English Translation (NET)
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.