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Proverbs 8:13
New English Translation
Proverbs 8:13
New English Translation
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate[a] evil;
I hate arrogant pride[b] and the evil way
and perverse utterances.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:13 tn The verb שָׂנֵא (saneʾ) means “to hate.” In this sentence it functions nominally as the predicate. Fearing the Lord is hating evil.sn The verb translated “hate” has the basic idea of rejecting something spontaneously. For example, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Mal 1:2b, 3a). It frequently has the idea of disliking or loathing (as English does), but almost always with an additional aspect of rejection. To “hate evil” is not only to dislike it, but to reject it and have nothing to do with it.
- Proverbs 8:13 tn Since גֵּאָה (geʾah, “pride”) and גָּאוֹן (gaʾon, “arrogance; pride”) are both from the same verbal root גָּאָה (gaʾah, “to rise up”), they should here be interpreted as one idea, forming a nominal hendiadys: “arrogant pride.”
- Proverbs 8:13 tn Heb “and a mouth of perverse things.” The word “mouth” is a metonymy of cause for what is said; and the noun תַהְפֻּכוֹת (tahpukhot, “perverse things”) means destructive things (the related verb is used for the overthrowing of Sodom).
Proverbs 8:13
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Proverbs 8:13
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Proverbs 11:2
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Proverbs 11:2
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:2 tn Heb “presumptuousness, over-confidence.” This term is from the root זִיד (zid) which means “to be presumptuous, arrogant, impudent” in the Qal, or to behave with such characteristics in the Hiphil.
- Proverbs 11:2 tn Heb “Pride came, then shame came.” The verbs are a perfect and a preterite with vav consecutive of בּוֹא (boʾ, “to enter; to come”). Because the second verb is sequential to the first, the first may be subordinated as a temporal clause. Proverbs in Hebrew utilize the past tense as a prototypical example. English also does so, although less frequently, as in “curiosity killed the cat.”
- Proverbs 11:2 sn This proverb does not state how the disgrace will come, but affirms that it will follow pride. The proud will be brought down.
- Proverbs 11:2 tn The term “came” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is supplied in the translation from parallelism.
- Proverbs 11:2 tn Heb “modesty”; KJV, ASV “the lowly.” The adjective צְנוּעִים (tsenuʿim, “modest”) is used as a noun; this is an example of antimeria in which one part of speech is used in the place of another (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 491-506), e.g., “Let the dry [adjective] appear!” = dry land (Gen 1:9). The root צָנַע (tsanaʿ, “to be modest; to be humble”) describes those who are reserved, retiring, modest. The plural form is used for the abstract idea of humility.
Proverbs 11:2
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Proverbs 11:2
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Proverbs 13:10
New English Translation
Proverbs 13:10
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 13:10 sn The parallelism suggests pride here means contempt for the opinions of others. The wise listen to advice rather than argue out of stubborn pride.
- Proverbs 13:10 tn The particle רַק (raq, “only”) modifies the noun “contention”—only contention can come from such a person.
- Proverbs 13:10 tn The Niphal of יָעַץ (yaʿats, “to advise; to counsel”) means “to consult together; to take counsel.” It means being well-advised, receiving advice or consultation (cf. NCV “those who take advice are wise”).
Proverbs 13:10
New International Version
Proverbs 13:10
New International Version
10 Where there is strife, there is pride,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.(A)
Proverbs 16:18-19
New English Translation
Proverbs 16:18-19
New English Translation
18 Pride[a] goes[b] before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.[c]
19 It is better to be lowly in spirit[d] with the afflicted
than to share the spoils[e] with the proud.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:18 sn The two lines of this proverb are synonymous parallelism, and so there are parasynonyms. “Pride” is paired with “haughty spirit” (“spirit” being a genitive of specification); and “destruction” is matched with “a tottering, falling.”
- Proverbs 16:18 tn Heb “[is] before destruction.”
- Proverbs 16:18 sn Many proverbs have been written in a similar way to warn against the inevitable disintegration and downfall of pride. W. McKane records an Arabic proverb: “The nose is in the heavens, the seat is in the mire” (Proverbs [OTL], 490).
- Proverbs 16:19 tn Heb “low of spirit”; KJV “of an humble spirit.” This expression describes the person who is humble and submissive before the Lord and therefore inoffensive. It is always necessary to have a humble spirit, whether there is wealth or not.
- Proverbs 16:19 tn Heb “than to divide plunder.” The word “plunder” implies that the wealth taken by the proud was taken violently and wrongfully—spoils are usually taken in warfare. R. N. Whybray translates it with “loot” (Proverbs [CBC], 95). The proud are in rebellion against God, overbearing and oppressive. One should never share the “loot” with them.
Proverbs 16:18-19
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Proverbs 16:18-19
New International Version
19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed
than to share plunder with the proud.
Proverbs 18:12
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Proverbs 18:12
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:12 sn The term “heart” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the seat of the spiritual and intellectual capacities—the mind, the will, the motivations and intentions. Proud ambitions and intentions will lead to a fall.
- Proverbs 18:12 tn Heb “[is] before honor”; cf. CEV “humility leads to honor.”
- Proverbs 18:12 sn The way to honor is through humility (e.g., Prov 11:2; 15:33; 16:18). The humility and exaltation of Jesus provides the classic example (Phil 2:1-10).
Proverbs 18:12
New International Version
Proverbs 18:12
New International Version
12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.(A)
Proverbs 21:4
New English Translation
Proverbs 21:4
New English Translation
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—
what the wicked cultivate[a] is sin.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:4 tc The MT reads “the tillage (נִר, nir) of the wicked.” The LXX, other versions, and some Hebrew manuscripts read “the lamp (נֵר, ner) of the wicked” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV). Both are difficult in the context.tn The MT’s נִר (nir) refers to “ground that has recently been cultivated” (HALOT 723, s.v.), hence “tillage” (NAB), or “plowing” (KJV). This image goes one step behind the metaphor of planting to the cultivating the ground, but it may still have the harvest from such work in view. What the wicked cultivate (and produce) is sin. The saying perhaps looks at their haughty attitude as the groundwork for of their actions which are sinful. The LXX’s “lamp” does not solve the difficulty of the relationship between the expressions. We would somehow need to equate haughtiness with what the wicked consider a (guiding?) light, so that it is evaluated as sin.
Proverbs 21:4
New International Version
Proverbs 21:4
New International Version
4 Haughty eyes(A) and a proud heart—
the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
Proverbs 21:24
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Proverbs 21:24
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 21:24 tn The word זֵד (zed, “proud”) comes from the verb זִיד (zid, “to boil up; to seethe; to act proudly [or, presumptuously].” Just as water boiling up in a pot will boil over, so the presumptuous person “oversteps” the boundaries.
- Proverbs 21:24 tn The word יָהִיר (yahir) means “haughty,” that is, to be or show oneself to be presumptuous or arrogant.
- Proverbs 21:24 tn Heb “proud haughty scorner his name” (KJV similar). There are several ways that the line could be translated: (1) “Proud, arrogant—his name is scoffer” or (2) “A proud person, an arrogant person—‘Scoffer’ is his name.” BDB 267 s.v. זֵד suggests, “A presumptuous man, [who is] haughty, scoffer is his name.”
- Proverbs 21:24 tn Heb “does.” The Qal active participle “does” serves as the main verb, and the subject is “proud person” in the first line.
- Proverbs 21:24 tn The expression בְּעֶבְרַת זָדוֹן (beʿevrat zadon) means “in the overflow of insolence.” The genitive specifies what the overflow is; the proud deal in an overflow of pride. Cf. NIV “overweening pride”; NLT “boundless arrogance.”sn The portrait in this proverb is not merely of one who is self-sufficient, but one who is insolent, scornful, and arrogant.
Proverbs 21:24
New International Version
Proverbs 21:24
New International Version
24 The proud and arrogant person(A)—“Mocker” is his name—
behaves with insolent fury.
Proverbs 22:4
New English Translation
Proverbs 22:4
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Footnotes
- 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”).
- 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.
- Proverbs 22:4 tn Heb “the fear of the Lord.” This is an objective genitive; the Lord is the object of the fear.
Proverbs 22:4
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Proverbs 22:4
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Proverbs 26:12
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Proverbs 26:12
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 26:12 tn Most translations render the verse as a question (“Have you seen…?” so KJV, NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman) while sometimes this construction is turned into a conditional sentence. But the Hebrew has a perfect verb form (רָאִיתָ; raʾita), expecting past time, without an interrogative or conditional marker. See the note at Prov 26:16.
- Proverbs 26:12 tn Heb “in his own eyes” (so ESV, NASB, NIV).
- Proverbs 26:12 sn Previous passages in the book of Proverbs all but deny the possibility of hope for the fool. So this proverb is saying there is absolutely no hope for the self-conceited person, and there might be a slight hope for the fool—he may yet figure out that he really is a fool.
Proverbs 26:12
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Proverbs 26:12
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Proverbs 29:23
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Proverbs 29:23
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:23 tn Heb “pride of a man,” with “man” functioning as a possessive. There is no indication in the immediate context that this is restricted only to males.
- Proverbs 29:23 tn There is a wordplay here due to the repetition of the root שָׁפֵל (shafel). In the first line the verb תִּשְׁפִּילֶנּוּ (tishpilennu) is the Hiphil imperfect of the root, rendered “will bring him low.” In the second line the word is used in the description of the “lowly of spirit,” שְׁפַל־רוּחַ (shefal ruakh). The contrast works well: The proud will be brought “low,” but the one who is “lowly” will be honored. In this instance the wordplay can be preserved in the translation.
- Proverbs 29:23 tn Heb “low in spirit”; KJV “humble in spirit.” This refers to an attitude of humility. sn The Hebrew word translated “lowly” forms an implied comparison: To be humble is like being low, base, earthbound; whereas pride is often compared to being high, lofty—at least in one’s own eyes.
Proverbs 29:23
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Proverbs 29:23
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Proverbs 30:32
New English Translation
Proverbs 30:32
New English Translation
32 If you have done foolishly by exalting yourself[a]
or if you have planned evil,
put[b] your hand over your mouth!
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:32 tn The construction has the ב (bet) preposition with the Hitpael infinitive construct, forming a temporal clause. This clause explains the way in which the person has acted foolishly.
- Proverbs 30:32 tn Heb “hand to mouth.” This expression means “put your hand to your mouth” (e.g., Job 40:4, 5); cf. NIV “clap your hand over.”
Proverbs 30:32
New International Version
Proverbs 30:32
New International Version
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!(A)
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