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Proverbs 1:5
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 1:5
Lexham English Bible
5 may the wise hear and increase learning,
and the one who understands gain direction,[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:5 Or “guidance”
Proverbs 1:5
New English Translation
Proverbs 1:5
New English Translation
5 (Let the wise also[a] hear[b] and gain[c] instruction,
and let the discerning[d] acquire guidance![e])
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:5 tn The term “also” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation since the audience has shifted from the young and inexperienced to those already having some wisdom. As such v. 5 functions as a parenthesis in the purpose statements of 1:1-7. The book is not just for beginners; even the wise can become wiser.
- Proverbs 1:5 tn The verb יִשְׁמַע (yishmaʿ) functions as a jussive (rather than a imperfect, “he will hear”) as supported in conjunction with the following jussive וְיוֹסֶף (veyosef, “Let him add” or “so that he may add”).
- Proverbs 1:5 tn Heb “add.” Or “increase” in insight. The Hiphil verb וְיוֹסֶף (veyosef) is a jussive rather than an imperfect as the final short vowel (segol) and accent on the first syllable shows (BDB 415 s.v. יָסַף Hiph).
- Proverbs 1:5 tn The Niphal substantival participle נָבוֹן (navon, “discerning”), rather than the noun, is used to describe a person who is habitually characterized by discernment. 1:5 forms a striking contrast to 1:4—there was the simpleton and the youth, here the wise and discerning. Both need this book.
- Proverbs 1:5 tn The noun תַּחְבֻּלָה (takhbulah, “direction; counsel”) refers to moral guidance (BDB 287 s.v.). It is related to חֹבֵל (khovel, “sailor”), חִבֵּל (khibbel, “mast”) and חֶבֶל (khevel, “rope; cord”), so BDB suggests it originally meant directing a ship by pulling ropes on the mast. It is used in a concrete sense of God directing the path of clouds (Job 37:12) and in a figurative sense of moral guidance (Prov 11:14; 20:18; 24:6). Here it refers to the ability to steer a right course through life (A. Cohen, Proverbs, 2).
Proverbs 11:14
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 11:14
Lexham English Bible
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[a] shall fall,
but there is safety in an abundance of counsel.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:14 Or “people”
Proverbs 11:14
New English Translation
Proverbs 11:14
New English Translation
14 When there is no guidance[a] a nation falls,
but there is success[b] in the abundance of counselors.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:14 tn The word תַּחְבֻּלוֹת (takhbulot, “guidance; direction”) is derived from the root I חָבַל (khaval, “rope-pulling” and “steering” or “directing” a ship; BDB 286 s.v.). Thus spiritual guidance is like steering a ship, here the ship of state (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 68; Prov 1:5). Advice is necessary for the success of a nation.
- Proverbs 11:14 tn Heb “victory.” This term תְּשׁוּעָה (teshuʿah) means “salvation” or “victory” (BDB 448 s.v.); cf. NAB, TEV “security”; NRSV, NLT “safety.” Here, it connotes “success” as the antithesis of the nation falling. The setting could be one of battle or economics. Victory or success will be more likely with good advice. This assumes that the counselors are wise.
Proverbs 11:14
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 11:14
Lexham English Bible
14 Where there is no guidance, a nation[a] shall fall,
but there is safety in an abundance of counsel.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:14 Or “people”
Proverbs 11:14
New English Translation
Proverbs 11:14
New English Translation
14 When there is no guidance[a] a nation falls,
but there is success[b] in the abundance of counselors.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 11:14 tn The word תַּחְבֻּלוֹת (takhbulot, “guidance; direction”) is derived from the root I חָבַל (khaval, “rope-pulling” and “steering” or “directing” a ship; BDB 286 s.v.). Thus spiritual guidance is like steering a ship, here the ship of state (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 68; Prov 1:5). Advice is necessary for the success of a nation.
- Proverbs 11:14 tn Heb “victory.” This term תְּשׁוּעָה (teshuʿah) means “salvation” or “victory” (BDB 448 s.v.); cf. NAB, TEV “security”; NRSV, NLT “safety.” Here, it connotes “success” as the antithesis of the nation falling. The setting could be one of battle or economics. Victory or success will be more likely with good advice. This assumes that the counselors are wise.
Proverbs 15:22
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 15:22
Lexham English Bible
22 Plans go wrong when there is no counsel,
but with many advisors it will succeed.
Proverbs 15:22
New English Translation
Proverbs 15:22
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 15:22 tn Heb “go wrong” (so NRSV, NLT). The verb is the Hiphil infinitive absolute from פָּרַר, parar, which means “to break; to frustrate; to go wrong” (HALOT 975 s.v. I פרר 2). The plans are made ineffectual or are frustrated when there is insufficient counsel.
- Proverbs 15:22 sn The proverb says essentially the same thing as 11:14, but differently.
Proverbs 19:20-21
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 19:20-21
Lexham English Bible
20 Listen to advice and accept instruction
so that you will gain wisdom for your future.[a]
21 Many plans are in the heart[b] of a man,
but the purpose of Yahweh will be established.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:20 Literally “after things”
- Proverbs 19:21 Or “mind”
Proverbs 19:20-21
New English Translation
Proverbs 19:20-21
New English Translation
20 Listen to advice[a] and receive discipline,
that[b] you may become wise[c] by the end of your life.[d]
21 There are many plans[e] in a person’s mind,[f]
but it[g] is the counsel[h] of the Lord that will stand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 19:20 sn The advice refers in all probability to the teachings of the sages that will make one wise.
- Proverbs 19:20 tn The proverb is one continuous thought, but the second half of the verse provides the purpose for the imperatives of the first half.
- Proverbs 19:20 tn The imperfect tense has the nuance of a final imperfect in a purpose clause, and so is translated “that you may become wise” (cf. NAB, NRSV).
- Proverbs 19:20 tn Heb “become wise in your latter end” (cf. KJV, ASV) which could obviously be misunderstood.
- Proverbs 19:21 sn The plans (from the Hebrew verb חָשַׁב [khashav], “to think; to reckon; to devise”) in the human heart are many. But only those which God approves will succeed.
- Proverbs 19:21 tn Heb “in the heart of a man” (cf. NAB, NIV). Here “heart” is used for the seat of thoughts, plans, and reasoning, so the translation uses “mind.” In contemporary English “heart” is more often associated with the seat of emotion than with the seat of planning and reasoning.
- Proverbs 19:21 tn Heb “but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand.” The construction draws attention to the “counsel of the Lord”; it is an independent nominative absolute, and the resumptive independent pronoun is the formal subject of the verb.
- Proverbs 19:21 tn The antithetical parallelism pairs “counsel” with “plans.” “Counsel of the Lord” (עֲצַת יְהוָה, ʿatsat yehvah) is literally “advice” or “counsel” with the connotation of “plan” in this context (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT “purpose”; NCV “plan”; TEV “the Lord’s will”).sn The point of the proverb is that the human being with many plans is uncertain, but the Lord with a sure plan gives correct counsel.
Proverbs 20:18
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 20:18
Lexham English Bible
18 A plan[a] will be established by advice,
and with guidance make war.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:18 Hebrew “plans”
Proverbs 20:18
New English Translation
Proverbs 20:18
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:18 tn The noun form is plural, but the verb is singular, suggesting either an abstract plural or a collective plural is being used here.
- Proverbs 20:18 tn The clause begins with vav (ו) on “with guidance.” But the clause has an imperative for its main verb. One could take the imperfect tense in the first colon as an imperfect of injunction, and then this clause would be also instructional. But the imperfect tense is a Niphal, and so it is better to take the first colon as the foundational clause and the second colon as the consequence (cf. NAB): If that is true, then you should do this.
- Proverbs 20:18 sn There have been attempts by various commentators to take “war” figuratively to mean life’s struggles, litigation, or evil inclinations. But there is no need and little justification for such interpretations. The proverb simply describes the necessity of taking counsel before going to war.
Proverbs 25:5
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 25:5
Lexham English Bible
5 Remove the wicked before a king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:5 Hebrew “in the righteousness”
Proverbs 25:5
New English Translation
Proverbs 25:5
New English Translation
5 remove the wicked from before the king,[a]
and his throne[b] will be established in righteousness.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:5 sn These two verses present first an illustration and then the point (so it is emblematic parallelism). The passage uses imperatives to teach that the wicked must be purged from the kingdom.
- Proverbs 25:5 sn “Throne” is a metonymy of subject (or adjunct); it is the symbol of the government over which the king presides (cf. NCV, TEV).
- Proverbs 25:5 sn When the king purges the wicked from his court he will be left with righteous counselors and his government therefore will be “established in righteousness”—it will endure through righteousness (cf. NLT “made secure by justice”). But as J. H. Greenstone says, “The king may have perfect ideals and his conduct may be irreproachable, but he may be misled by unscrupulous courtiers” (Proverbs, 264).
Proverbs 27:9
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 27:9
Lexham English Bible
9 Perfume and incense will gladden a heart,
and the pleasantness of one’s friend is personal advice.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:9 Literally “because of advice of a person”
Proverbs 27:9
New English Translation
Proverbs 27:9
New English Translation
9 Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice,[a]
likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:9 sn The first line of the proverb provides the emblem to the parallel point. The emblem is the joy that anointing oil (ointment) and incense bring, and the point is the value of the advice of a friend.
- Proverbs 27:9 tn Some think the MT is unintelligible as it stands: “The sweetness of his friend from the counsel of the soul.” The Latin version has “the soul is sweetened by the good counsels of a friend.” D. W. Thomas suggests, “counsels of a friend make sweet the soul” (“Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” VT 15 [1965]: 275). G. R. Driver suggests, “the counsel of a friend is sweeter than one’s own advice” (literally, “more than the counsel of the soul”). He also suggests “more than of fragrant wood.” See G. R. Driver, “Hebrew Notes,” ZAW 52 (1934): 54; idem, “Suggestions and Objections,” ZAW 55 (1937): 69-70. The LXX reads “and the soul is rent by misfortunes.” The MT, for want of better or more convincing readings, may be interpreted to mean something like “[Just as] ointment and incense brings joy to the heart, [so] the sweetness of one’s friend [comes] from his sincere counsel.”
Proverbs 29:12
Lexham English Bible
Proverbs 29:12
Lexham English Bible
12 A ruler listening to a word of falsehood,
all his officials are wicked.
Proverbs 29:12
New English Translation
Proverbs 29:12
New English Translation
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Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:12 tn The Hiphil participle מַקְשִׁיב (maqshiv) means “to give attention to; to regard; to heed.” Cf. NASB, NCV, TEV “pays attention to.”sn Such a ruler would become known as one who could be lied to, because he paid attention to lies.
- Proverbs 29:12 tn Heb “word of falsehood” or “lying word.” Cf. TEV “false information.”
- Proverbs 29:12 tn The verb שָׁרַת (sharat) means “to minister; to serve.” The Piel plural participle here refers to servants of the king who attend to him—courtiers and ministers (cf. NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV “officials”; NLT “advisers”). This, his entourage, will have to resort to evil practices to gain his favor if he is swayed by such lies.
- Proverbs 29:12 sn The servants of the monarch adjust to their ruler; when they see that court flattery and deception are effective, they will begin to practice it and in the end become wicked (e.g., Prov 16:10; 20:8; 25:2).
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