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Proverbs 14:19
New English Translation
Proverbs 14:19
New English Translation
19 Bad people have bowed[a] before good people,
and wicked people have bowed[b] at the gates[c] of someone righteous.[d]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:19 tn The verb שָׁחַח (shakhakh) means “to crouch, cower, bow” whether from weariness or in submission. As a dynamic verb in the perfect conjugation form, it is past or perfective. Here the sage takes the viewpoint of assuring the learner of what has happened in the past, asserting it to be prototypical of what will continue to happen. Some translations emphasize the future implication (NIV, NASB, CEV, NLT) while others opt to portray the lesson as a characteristic present (ESV, KJV, Holman).
- Proverbs 14:19 tn The phrase “have bowed” does not appear in this line but is implied by the parallelism; it is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.
- Proverbs 14:19 sn J. H. Greenstone suggests that this means that they are begging for favors (Proverbs, 154).
- Proverbs 14:19 tn The adjective is singular. A plurality of people crouching before a single person portrays an even greater extent of difference in power between them.
Proverbs 14:19
International Standard Version
Proverbs 14:19
International Standard Version
19 Evil men will bow down in the presence of good men
and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
Proverbs 14:32
New English Translation
Proverbs 14:32
New English Translation
32 An evil person will be thrown down through his wickedness,[a]
but a righteous person takes refuge in his integrity.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:32 tn Or “during his trouble” (i.e., when catastrophe comes). The noun רָעָה (raʿah) can refer to evil (so KJV, NASB, ESV, NRSV) or to calamity (CEV, NIV, NLT).
- Proverbs 14:32 tc The MT reads בְּמוֹתוֹ (bemoto, “in his death”). The LXX reads “in his integrity,” implying the switching of two letters to בְּתוּמּוֹ (betummo). The LXX is followed by some English versions (e.g., NAB “in his honesty,” NRSV “in their integrity,” and TEV “by their integrity”). For all other cases of the verb חָסָה (khasah, “to take refuge”), the preposition ב (bet) indicates what the person relies on, not what they take refuge through, and it is unlikely that the righteous rely on death or see death as a refuge.
Proverbs 14:32
International Standard Version
Proverbs 14:32
International Standard Version
32 The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing,
but the righteous person has a place of safety in death.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 14:32 So MT DSS 4QProvb; LXX reads in his own piety
Proverbs 15:3
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:3
New English Translation
3 The eyes of the Lord[a] are in every place,
keeping watch on[b] those who are evil and those who are good.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:3 sn The proverb uses anthropomorphic language to describe God’s exacting and evaluating knowledge of all people.
- Proverbs 15:3 tn The form צֹפוֹת (tsofot, “watching”) is a feminine plural participle agreeing with “eyes.” God’s watching eyes comfort good people but convict evil.
Proverbs 15:3
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:3
International Standard Version
3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
observing both the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:6
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:6
New English Translation
6 In the house of the righteous is abundant wealth,[a]
but the income of the wicked will be ruined.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:6 sn The Hebrew noun חֹסֶן (khosen) means “wealth; treasure.” Prosperity is the reward for righteousness. This is true only in so far as a proverb can be carried in its application, allowing for exceptions. The Greek text for this verse has no reference for wealth, but talks about amassing righteousness.
- Proverbs 15:6 tn Heb “being ruined.” The Niphal participle of עָכַר (ʿakhar; “to disturb, trouble, ruin”) may be understood substantivally, meaning “disturbance, calamity” (BDB 747 s.v. עָכַר) or a “thing troubled,” thus perhaps “[it] is ruined/ruinous.” Or it may be viewed verbally, “will be ruined” (HALOT 824 s.v. עכר nif). The LXX translates “will be ruined.”
Proverbs 15:6
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:6
International Standard Version
6 The righteous house is itself[a] a great treasure,
but within the revenue of the wicked calamity is at work.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:6 The Heb. lacks itself
Proverbs 15:8
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:8
New English Translation
8 The Lord abhors[a] the sacrifice of the wicked,[b]
but the prayer[c] of the upright pleases him.[d]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:8 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The term יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”) functions as a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.” Cf. NIV “the Lord detests”; NCV, NLT “the Lord hates”; CEV “the Lord is disgusted.”
- Proverbs 15:8 sn The sacrifices of the wicked are hated by the Lord because the worshipers are insincere and blasphemous (e.g., Prov 15:29; 21:3; 28:9; Ps 40:6-8; Isa 1:10-17). In other words, the spiritual condition of the worshiper determines whether or not the worship is acceptable to God.
- Proverbs 15:8 sn J. H. Greenstone notes that if God will accept the prayers of the upright, he will accept their sacrifices; for sacrifice is an outer ritual and easily performed even by the wicked, but prayer is a private and inward act and not usually fabricated by unbelievers (Proverbs, 162).
- Proverbs 15:8 tn Heb “[is] his pleasure.” The third person masculine singular suffix functions as a subjective genitive: “he is pleased.” God is pleased with the prayers of the upright.
Proverbs 15:8
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:8
International Standard Version
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 15:9
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:9
New English Translation
9 The Lord abhors[a] the way of the wicked,
but he will love[b] those[c] who pursue[d] righteousness.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:9 tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The term יְהוָה (yehvah, “the Lord”) functions as a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.”
- Proverbs 15:9 tn The verb אָהֵב (ʾahev, “to love”) is stative, so its imperfect form should be future; it still speaks of a general truth.
- Proverbs 15:9 tn Heb “the one who” (so NRSV).
- Proverbs 15:9 sn God hates the way of the wicked, that is, their lifestyle and things they do. God loves those who pursue righteousness, the Piel verb signifying a persistent pursuit. W. G. Plaut says, “He who loves God will be moved to an active, persistent, and even dangerous search for justice” (Proverbs, 170).
Proverbs 15:9
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:9
International Standard Version
9 The lifestyle of the wicked is detestable to the Lord,
but he loves those who ardently pursue righteousness.
Proverbs 15:28
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:28
New English Translation
28 The heart[a] of the righteous considers[b] how[c] to answer,[d]
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.[e]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:28 tn Or “mind.” The term לֵב (lev) can refer to the “mind” or “heart” and represent a person’s thinking, feeling, or will.
- Proverbs 15:28 tn The verb יֶהְגֶּה (yehgeh) means “to muse; to meditate; to consider; to study.” It also involves planning, such as with the wicked “planning” a vain thing (Ps 2:1, which is contrasted with the righteous who “meditate” in the law [1:2]).
- Proverbs 15:28 tn The word “how” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Proverbs 15:28 tc The LXX reads: “the hearts of the righteous meditate faithfulness.”sn The advice of the proverb is to say less but better things. The wise—here called the righteous—are cautious in how they respond to others. They think about it (heart = mind) before speaking.
- Proverbs 15:28 sn The form is plural. What they say (the “mouth” is a metonymy of cause) is any range of harmful things.
Proverbs 15:28
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:28
International Standard Version
28 The mind of the righteous thinks before speaking,
but the wicked person spews out evil.
Proverbs 15:29
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:29
New English Translation
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:29 sn To say that the Lord is “far” from the wicked is to say that he has made himself unavailable to their appeal—he does not answer them. This motif is used by David throughout Ps 22 for the problem of unanswered prayer—“Why are you far off?”
- Proverbs 15:29 sn The verb “hear” (שָׁמַע, shamaʿ) has more of the sense of “respond to” in this context. If one “listens to the voice of the Lord,” for example, it means that he obeys the Lord. If one wishes God to “hear his prayer,” it means he wishes God to answer it.
- Proverbs 15:29 sn God’s response to prayer is determined by the righteousness of the one who prays. A prayer of repentance by the wicked is an exception, for by it they would become the righteous (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 316).
Proverbs 15:29
International Standard Version
Proverbs 15:29
International Standard Version
29 The Lord is far away from the wicked,
but he hears the prayers of the righteous.
Proverbs 16:4
New English Translation
Proverbs 16:4
New English Translation
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:4 tn The Hebrew verb פָּעַל (paʿal) means “to work out; to bring about; to accomplish.” As the perfect form of a dynamic root, it is past or perfective. By using a past nuance, the proverb asserts that this is not just something that will work out some day. It affirms that God has done so and views this action as prototypical of what God does. Elsewhere with this verb, the preposition ל (lamed) indicates the purpose of the work (when followed by an infinitive, e.g. Exod 15:7), or who the action was for/against (when followed by a person, e.g. Isa 26:12). In the only other case where the verb פָּעַל (paʿal) has a direct object and the preposition ל (lamed) it means to make, or modify, the thing into something else (Ps 7:13). Applying that same syntax here could mean “God has turned everything to his own purpose.” God has done so by turning what was meant to harm into good (as with Joseph, Gen 50:20) and here by preparing the wicked for disaster. If it means to turn one thing into another, then the verse affirms God’s sovereignty while not making him directly responsible for evil acts chosen by the wicked.
- Proverbs 16:4 tc The Latin Vulgate implies the form לְמַעֲנֵהוּ (lemaʿanehu) “for his/its sake/purpose” rather than the Masoretic text’s לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ (lammaʿanehu) “for his/its purpose/answer.” Both are reading the same consonantal text but understanding the vowels differently. tn At the core of the phrase לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ (lammaʿanehu) in the Masoretic text, lies the word מַעֲנֶה (maʿaneh), which is proposed to mean “answer” or “purpose.” HALOT proposes that they are two homonyms (HALOT I, 614) going back to different homonymous verbal roots. If this is the noun meaning “answer,” it may imply the consequence. God ensures that everyone’s actions and the consequences of those actions correspond—certainly the wicked for the day of calamity. In God’s order there is just retribution for every act.
- Proverbs 16:4 sn This is an example of synthetic parallelism (“A, what’s more B”). The A-line affirms a truth, and the B-line expands on it with a specific application about the wicked—whatever disaster comes their way is an appropriate correspondent for their life.
Proverbs 16:4
International Standard Version
Proverbs 16:4
International Standard Version
4 The Lord made everything answerable to him,
including the wicked at the time of trouble.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:4 Lit. evil
Proverbs 17:4
New English Translation
Proverbs 17:4
New English Translation
4 One who acts wickedly[a] pays attention to evil counsel;[b]
a liar listens[c] to a malicious tongue.[d]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:4 tn The Hiphil participle מֵרַע (meraʿ) indicates one who is a doer of evil. The line affirms that a person of this nature will eagerly listen to evil talk—it is part of his nature.
- Proverbs 17:4 tn Heb “to the lip of evil”; ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV “wicked lips.” The term “lip” is a metonymy of cause for speech (what is said); the term “evil” is an attributive genitive. The same will be true in the parallel line where the expression “to the tongue of destruction” (NASB “a destructive tongue”) means things that are said that destroy others.
- Proverbs 17:4 tc The verb מֵזִין (mezin) would a Hiphil participle from זון (zwn, “to feed”). The suggested emendation is מַאֲזִין (maʿazin), derive it from the denominative verb אזן (ʾzn, “to give ear, listen”). Two Hebrew mss have this variant.
- Proverbs 17:4 sn Wicked, self-serving people find destructive speech appealing. They should be rebuked and not tolerated (Lev 19:17).
Proverbs 17:4
International Standard Version
Proverbs 17:4
International Standard Version
4 Whoever practices evil pays attention to wicked speech,
and the liar listens to malicious talk.
Proverbs 17:23
New English Translation
Proverbs 17:23
New English Translation
Read full chapter
Footnotes
- Proverbs 17:23 sn The fact that the “gift” is given secretly (Heb “from the bosom” [מֵחֵיק, mekheq]; so NASB) indicates that it was not proper. Cf. NRSV “a concealed bribe”; TEV, CEV, NLT “secret bribes.”
- Proverbs 17:23 tn The form לְהַטּוֹת (lehattot) is the Hiphil infinitive construct of נָטָה (natah), meaning “to thrust away,” i.e., to “pervert.” This purpose clause clarifies that the receiving of the “gift” is for evil intent.
Proverbs 17:23
International Standard Version
Proverbs 17:23
International Standard Version
23 The wicked man takes a bribe in secret
in order to pervert the course of justice.
Proverbs 18:3
New English Translation
Proverbs 18:3
New English Translation
3 When a wicked person[a] arrives, contempt[b] shows up with him,[c]
and with shame comes[d] a reproach.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 18:3 tc The MT has “a wicked [person].” Many commentators emend the text to רֶשַׁע (reshaʿ, “wickedness”) which makes better parallelism with “shame” (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 521; R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [AB], 112; C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 355; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). However, there is no external evidence for this emendation.
- Proverbs 18:3 sn “Contempt” (בּוּז, buz) accompanies the wicked; “reproach” (חֶרְפָּה, kherpah) goes with shame. This reproach either further characterizes the behaviors expected of the wicked or possibly the critical rebukes and taunts of the community against a wicked person.
- Proverbs 18:3 tn Heb “contempt also comes/has come.” The verb form בָּא (baʾ) may either be a perfect verb “has come” (cf. Prov 11:2) or a participle “comes.”
- Proverbs 18:3 tn The term “comes” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
Proverbs 18:3
International Standard Version
Proverbs 18:3
International Standard Version
3 When an evil person comes, contempt also comes,
along with dishonor and disgrace.
New English Translation (NET)
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