Proverbs 24:29
New English Translation
29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will pay him back[a] according to what he has done.”[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 24:29 tn Heb “repay to the man.” The verb is שׁוּב (shuv), which in the Hiphil stem means “to restore; to repay; to return” (cf. TEV, CEV, NLT “I’ll get even”). The idea is that of repaying someone for what he did.
- Proverbs 24:29 sn Rather than give in to the spirit of vengeance, one should avoid retaliation (e.g., Prov 20:22; Matt 5:43-45; Rom 12:9). According to the Talmud, Hillel said, “Do not do to others what you would not have them do unto you” (b. Sanhedrin 31a).
Proverbs 24:29
Expanded Bible
29 Don’t say, “·I’ll get even [L As they did to me so I will do to them];
I’ll ·do to him what he did to me [repay them according to their actions].”
Proverbs 25:21-22
New English Translation
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
22 for you will heap coals of fire on his head,[a]
and the Lord will reward you.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:22 sn The imagery of the “burning coals” represents pangs of conscience, more readily effected by kindness than by violence. These coals produce the sharp pain of contrition through regret (e.g. 18:19; 20:22; 24:17; Gen 42-45; 1 Sam 24:18-20; Rom 12:20). The coals then would be an implied comparison with a searing conscience.
- Proverbs 25:22 sn The second consequence of treating enemies with kindness is that the Lord will reward the act. The fact that this is promised shows that the instruction here belongs to the religious traditions of Israel.
Proverbs 25:21-22
Expanded Bible
21 If ·your enemy [L one you hate] is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
22 Doing this will be like pouring burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you [Rom. 12:19–21].
Proverbs 25:28
New English Translation
28 Like a city that is broken down and without a wall,
so is a person who cannot control his temper.[a]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 25:28 tn Heb “whose spirit lacks restraint” (ASV similar). A person whose spirit (רוּחַ, ruakh) “lacks restraint” is one who is given to outbursts of passion, who lacks self-control (cf. NIV, NRSV, CEV, NLT). This person has no natural defenses but reveals his true nature all the time. The proverb is stating that without self-control a person is vulnerable, like a city without defenses.
Proverbs 25:28
Expanded Bible
28 Those who ·do not control themselves [are unrestrained in spirit]
are like a city whose walls are broken down.
Proverbs 27:4
New English Translation
Footnotes
- Proverbs 27:4 tn Heb “fierceness of wrath and outpouring [= flood] of anger.” A number of English versions use “flood” here (e.g., NASB, NCV, NLT).
- Proverbs 27:4 tn The Hebrew term translated “jealousy” here probably has the negative sense of “envy” rather than the positive sense of “zeal.” It is a raging emotion (like “anger” and “wrath,” this word has nuances of heat, intensity) that defies reason at times and can be destructive like a consuming fire (e.g., 6:32-35; Song 8:6-7). The rhetorical question is intended to affirm that no one can survive a jealous rage. (Whether one is the subject who is jealous or the object of the jealousy of someone else is not so clear.)
Proverbs 27:4
Expanded Bible
4 Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood,
but no one can ·put up with [L stand in the face of] jealousy!
Proverbs 29:8-9
New English Translation
8 Scornful people[a] inflame[b] a city,[c]
but those who are wise turn away wrath.
9 When[d] a wise person goes to court[e] with a foolish person,
there is no peace[f] whether he is angry or laughs.[g]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:8 tn Heb “men of scorn”; NAB “Arrogant men”; ASV, NRSV “Scoffers”; NIV, NLT “Mockers.”
- Proverbs 29:8 tn The verb means “to blow; to breathe” (BDB 806 s.v. פּוּחַ). In the Hiphil imperfect its meaning here is “to excite; to inflame” a city, as in blowing up a flame or kindling a fire. It is also used with “words” in 6:19 and 12:17—they “puff out words.” Such scornful people make dangerous situations worse, whereas the wise calm things down (e.g., 2 Sam 20).
- Proverbs 29:8 tn The term “city” is a metonymy of subject; it refers to the people in the city who can easily be set in an uproar by such scornful people.
- Proverbs 29:9 tn The word “when” does not occur in the Hebrew. But the verse presents the situation as a typical example. Hebrew proverbs can begin by presenting a setting in the first line and then developing or commenting on it.
- Proverbs 29:9 tn The verb נִשְׁפָּט (nishpat) is a Niphal participle of שָׁפַט (shafat) “to judge.” In the Niphal stem it could be passive, but is more frequently reciprocal: “to enter into controversy” or “to go to court.” The word is usually used in connection with a lawsuit (so many recent English versions), but can also refer to an argument (e.g., 1 Sam 12:7; Isa 43:26); cf. NAB “disputes”; NASB “has a controversy.”
- Proverbs 29:9 tn The noun נָחַת (nakhat) is a derivative of נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”) and so means “quietness” or “rest,” i.e., “peace.”sn The proverb is saying that there will be no possibility of settling the matter in a calm way, no matter what mood the fool is in (e.g., Prov 26:4). R. N. Whybray says one can only cut the losses and have no further dealings with the fool (Proverbs [CBC], 168).
- Proverbs 29:9 tn Heb “then he gets angry and laughs and there is no peace.” The verbs וְרָגַז (veragaz; to be angry or agitated) and וְשָׂחַק (vesakhaq; to laugh or mock) are each a vav plus perfect consecutive. They may refer to alternative actions or alternating actions. Grammatically the subject of these verbs is not clear, whether “the wise man (whose tactics are all unavailing) or, as seems more probable, the fool (who will adopt any approach but the quietly objective)” (D. Kidner, Proverbs [TOTC], 174).
Proverbs 29:8-9
Expanded Bible
8 ·People who make fun of wisdom [Mockers] ·cause trouble in [L inflame] a city,
but wise people ·calm anger down [L turn back anger].
9 When a wise person ·takes a foolish person to court [or debates/disputes a fool],
the fool only shouts or laughs, and there is no ·peace [rest].
Proverbs 29:11
New English Translation
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:11 tn Heb “his spirit.” It has been commonly interpreted to mean “his anger” (ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV), but it probably means more than that. The fool gives full expression to his “soul,” whether it is anger or bitterness or frustration or any other emotions. He has no self-control.
- Proverbs 29:11 tn The line is difficult. The MT has בְּאָחוֹר יְשַׁבְּחֶנָּה (beʾakhor yeshabbekhennah), which literally means “steals it back.” The verb שָׁבַח (shavakh) means “to soothe; to still,” as with a storm, or here with the temper. But because אָחוֹר (ʾakhor) does not fit very well with this verb, most commentators offer some suggested change. C. H. Toy reads “anger” instead of “back” and translates the verb “restrain” following the LXX, which has “self-control” (Proverbs [ICC], 510). The idea of self-control is what is intended, but the changes suggested are not entirely warranted. A number of English versions have “holds it back” (e.g., NASB, NRSV, NLT), and this fits the Hebrew as well as any.
Proverbs 29:11
Expanded Bible
11 Foolish people ·lose their tempers [or let nothing go unexpressed; L let all their spirit out],
but wise people ·control theirs [quiet things down afterward].
Proverbs 29:22
New English Translation
22 An angry person[a] stirs up dissension,
and a wrathful person[b] is abounding in transgression.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:22 tn Heb “a man of anger.” Here “anger” is an attributive (“an angry man”). This expression describes one given to or characterized by anger, not merely temporarily angry. The same is true of the next description.
- Proverbs 29:22 tn Heb “possessor of wrath.” Here “wrath” is an attributive (cf. ASV “a wrathful man”; KJV “a furious man”).
- Proverbs 29:22 tn Heb “an abundance of transgression.” The phrase means “abounding in transgression” (BDB 913 s.v. רַב 1.d]). Not only does the angry person stir up dissension, but he also frequently causes sin in himself and in others (e.g., 14:17, 29; 15:18; 16:32; 22:24).
Proverbs 29:22
Expanded Bible
22 An angry person ·causes trouble [stirs up conflict];
a person with ·a quick temper [wrath] sins a lot.
Proverbs 30:32-33
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!
33 For as the churning[c] of milk produces butter
and as punching the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger[d] produces strife.[e]
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 30:33 tn This line provides the explanation for the instruction to keep silent in the previous verse. It uses two images to make the point, and in so doing repeats two words throughout. The first is the word מִיץ (mits), which is translated (in sequence) “churning,” “punching,” and “stirring up.” The form is a noun, and BDB 568 s.v. suggests translating it as “squeezing” in all three places, even in the last where it describes the pressure or the insistence on strife. This noun occurs only here. The second repeated word, the verb יוֹצִיא (yotsiʾ), also occurs three times; it is the Hiphil imperfect, meaning “produces” (i.e., causes to go out).
- Proverbs 30:33 sn There is a subtle wordplay here with the word for anger: It is related to the word for nose in the preceding colon.
- Proverbs 30:33 sn The analogy indicates that continuously pressing certain things will yield results, some good, some bad. So pressing anger produces strife. The proverb advises people to strive for peace and harmony through humility and righteousness. To do that will require “letting up” on anger.
Proverbs 30:32-33
Expanded Bible
32 “If you have been foolish and proud,
or if you have planned evil, ·shut [L put your hand to] your mouth [Job 40:2].
33 Just as ·stirring [L pressing] milk makes ·butter [curds],
and ·twisting [L pressing] noses makes ·them bleed [blood],
so ·stirring up [L pressing] anger ·causes trouble [leads to accusations].”
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