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Proverbs 6:16-19
New English Translation
Proverbs 6:16-19
New English Translation
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
even[a] seven[b] things that are an abomination to him:[c]
17 haughty eyes,[d] a lying tongue,[e]
and hands that shed innocent blood,[f]
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,[g]
feet that are swift to run[h] to evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,[i]
and a person who spreads discord[j] among family members.[k]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 6:16 tn The conjunction has the explicative use here (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §434).
- Proverbs 6:16 sn This saying involves a numerical ladder, paralleling six things with seven things (e.g., also 30:15, 18, 21, 24, 29). The point of such a numerical arrangement is that the number does not exhaust the list (W. M. Roth, “The Numerical Sequence x / x +1 in the Old Testament,” VT 12 [1962]: 300-311; and his “Numerical Sayings in the Old Testament,” VT 13 [1965]: 86).
- Proverbs 6:16 tn Heb “his soul.”
- Proverbs 6:17 sn The expression “high/ lofty [רָמוֹת, ramot] eyes” refers to a proud look suggesting arrogant ambition (cf. NCV “a proud look”). The use of “eyes” is a metonymy of adjunct, the look in the eyes accompanying the attitude. This term “high” is used in Num 15:30 for the sin of the “high hand,” i.e., willful rebellion or defiant sin. The usage of “haughty eyes” may be illustrated by its use with the pompous Assyrian invader (Isa 10:12-14) and the proud king of the book of Daniel (11:12). God does not tolerate anyone who thinks so highly of himself and who has such ambition.
- Proverbs 6:17 tn Heb “a tongue of deception.” The genitive noun functions attributively. The term “tongue” functions as a metonymy. The term is used of false prophets who deceive (Jer 14:14), and of a deceiver who betrays (Ps 109:2). The Lord hates deceptive speech because it is destructive (26:28).
- Proverbs 6:17 sn The hands are the instruments of murder (metonymy of cause), and God hates bloodshed. Gen 9:6 prohibited shedding blood because people are the image of God. Even David being a man of blood (in war mostly) was not permitted to build the Temple (1 Chr 22:8). But shedding innocent blood was a greater crime—it usually went with positions of power, such as King Manasseh filling the streets with blood (2 Kgs 21:16), or princes doing it for gain (Ezek 22:27).
- Proverbs 6:18 tn Heb “heart that devises plans of wickedness.” The latter term is an attributive genitive. The heart (metonymy of subject) represents the will; here it plots evil schemes. The heart is capable of evil schemes (Gen 6:5); the heart that does this is deceitful (Prov 12:20; 14:22).
- Proverbs 6:18 tc The MT reads “make haste to run,” that is, be eager to seize the opportunity. The LXX omits “run,” that is, feet hastening to do evil. It must have appeared to the LXX translator that the verb was unnecessary; only one verb occurs in the other cola.sn The word “feet” is here a synecdoche, a part for the whole. Being the instruments of movement, they represent the swift and eager actions of the whole person to do some harm.
- Proverbs 6:19 sn The Lord hates perjury and a lying witness (e.g., Ps 40:4; Amos 2:4; Mic 1:4). This is a direct violation of the law (Exod 20).
- Proverbs 6:19 sn Dissension is attributed in Proverbs to contentious people (21:9; 26:21; 25:24) who have a short fuse (15:8).
- Proverbs 6:19 tn Heb “brothers,” although not limited to male siblings only. Cf. NRSV, CEV “in a family”; TEV “among friends.”sn These seven things the Lord hates. To discover what the Lord desires, one need only list the opposites: humility, truthful speech, preservation of life, pure thoughts, eagerness to do good, honest witnesses, and peaceful harmony. In the NT the Beatitudes present the positive opposites (Matt 5). It has seven blessed things to match these seven hated things; moreover, the first contrasts with the first here (“poor in spirit” of 5:5 with “haughty eyes”), and the seventh (“peacemakers” of 5:7) contrasts with the seventh here (“sows dissension”).
Proverbs 6:16-19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Proverbs 6:16-19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,(A)
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that hurry to run to evil,(B)
19 a lying witness who testifies falsely,
and one who sows discord in a family.(C)
Proverbs 17:1
New English Translation
Proverbs 17:1
New English Translation
17 Better is a dry crust of bread[a] where there is quietness[b]
than a house full of feasting with strife.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:1 tn The phrase “a dry piece of bread” is like bread without butter, a morsel of bread not dipped in vinegar mix (e.g., Ruth 2:14). It represents here a simple, humble meal.
- Proverbs 17:1 tn Heb “and quietness in it”; the construction functions as a circumstantial clause: “in which there is quietness” or “with quietness.”sn The Hebrew word means “quietness” or “ease.” It represents a place where there can be carefree ease because of the sense of peace and security. The Greek rendering suggests that those translators read it as “peace.” Even if the fare is poor, this kind of setting is to be preferred.
- Proverbs 17:1 tn The house is described as being full of “sacrifices of strife” (זִבְחֵי־רִיב, zivkhe riv). The use of “sacrifices” suggests a connection with the temple (as in 7:14) in which the people may have made their sacrifices and had a large amount meat left over. It is also possible that the reference is simply to a sumptuous meal (Deut 12:15; Isa 34:6; Ezek 39:17). It would be rare for Israelites to eat meat apart from festivals, however. In the construction the genitive could be classified as a genitive of effect, the feast in general “bringing about strife,” or it could simply be an attributive genitive, “a feast characterized by strife.” Abundance often brings deterioration of moral and ethical standards as well as an increase in envy and strife.
Proverbs 17:1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Proverbs 17:1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
17 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.(A)
Proverbs 18:18-19
New English Translation
Proverbs 18:18-19
New English Translation
18 A toss of a coin[a] ends[b] disputes,
and settles the issue[c] between strong opponents.[d]
19 A relative[e] offended[f] is harder to reach than[g] a strong city,
and disputes are like the barred gates[h] of a fortified citadel.[i]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:18 tn Heb “casting the lot.” Because modern readers are not familiar with the ancient practice of casting lots, the image of the coin toss to decide an issue has been employed in the translation (cf. CEV “drawing straws”). Although the casting of lots is often compared to throwing dice, the translation “throwing dice ends disputes” in this context could be misunderstood to mean “participating in a game of dice ends disputes.”
- Proverbs 18:18 tn The verb יַשְׁבִּית (yashbit) is the Hiphil imperfect from שָׁבַת (shavat), meaning “to cause to cease; to bring to an end; to end”; cf. NIV “settles disputes.” The assumption behind this practice and this saying is that providence played the determining role in the casting of lots. If both parties accepted this, then the issue could be resolved.
- Proverbs 18:18 tn Heb “makes a separation” or “decides.” In the book of Proverbs this verb often has a negative connotation, such as separating close friends (e.g., 16:9). But here it has a positive nuance: Opponents are “separated” by settling the issue.
- Proverbs 18:18 tn The word is the adjective, “mighty” (so KJV, NAB, NASB) used here substantivally as the object of the preposition.
- Proverbs 18:19 tn Heb “brother,” but this is not limited to actual siblings (cf. NRSV “an ally”; CEV, NLT “friend”).
- Proverbs 18:19 tn The Niphal participle from פָּשַׁע (pashaʿ) modifies “brother”: a brother transgressed, offended, sinned against.
- Proverbs 18:19 tc The LXX has a clear antithetical proverb here: “A brother helped is like a stronghold, but disputes are like bars of a citadel.” Accordingly, the editors of BHS propose מוֹשִׁיעַ (moshiaʿ) instead of נִפְשָׁע (nifshaʿ, so also the other versions and the RSV). But since both lines use the comparison with a citadel (fortified/barred), the antithesis is problematic. tn The phrase “is harder to reach” is supplied in the translation on the basis of the comparative מִן (min). It is difficult to get into a fortified city; it is more difficult to reach an offended brother.
- Proverbs 18:19 tn Heb “bars,” but this could be understood to mean “taverns,” so “barred gates” is employed in the translation.
- Proverbs 18:19 sn The proverb is talking about changing a friend or a relative into an enemy by abuse or strife—the bars go up, as it were. And the “walls” that are erected are not easily torn down.
Proverbs 18:18-19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Proverbs 18:18-19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
18 Casting the lot puts an end to disputes
and decides between powerful contenders.(A)
19 An ally offended is stronger than a city;[a]
such quarreling is like the bars of a castle.
Footnotes
- 18.19 Gk Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
New English Translation (NET)
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
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