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Proverbs 28:12
New English Translation
Proverbs 28:12
New English Translation
12 When the righteous rejoice,[a] great is the glory,[b]
but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out.[c]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:12 tn The form בַּעֲלֹץ (baʿalots) is the infinitive construct with the preposition indicating a temporal clause (“when…”); the “righteous” are the subject of this clause (subjective genitive). The word may be taken as a metonymy of adjunct—the righteous exult or rejoice because they are prosperous (cf. NLT “succeed”).
- Proverbs 28:12 sn “Glory” here may have the sense of elation and praise.
- Proverbs 28:12 tn The meaning of “sought out” (יְחֻפַּשׂ, yekhuppas) indicates that people have gone into hiding. So the development of the ideas for this proverb requires in the first line that “rejoice” be connected with “triumph” that means they have come to power; and in the second line that “are sought out” means people have gone into hiding (cf. ASV, NIV, NRSV, NLT). C. H. Toy thinks this is too strained; he offers this rendering: “When the righteous are exalted there is great confidence, but when the wicked come into power men hide themselves” (Proverbs [ICC], 500). For the verb G. R. Driver posits an Arabic cognate hafasa, “prostrated; trampled on” (“Problems in the Hebrew Text of Proverbs,” Bib 32 [1951]: 192-93), which gives a clearer result of wicked rule, but is perhaps unnecessary (e.g., Prov 28:28; 29:2). See J. A. Emerton, “Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” JTS 20 (1969): 202-20.
Proverbs 28:12
Common English Bible
Proverbs 28:12
Common English Bible
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great respect,
but people hide when the wicked prosper.
Proverbs 28:28
New English Translation
Proverbs 28:28
New English Translation
28 When the wicked gain control,[a] people[b] hide themselves,[c]
but when they perish,[d] the righteous increase.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 28:28 tn Heb “the wicked rise,” referring to an accession to power, as in a government. Cf. TEV “come to power”; NLT “take charge.”sn The proverb is essentially the same as 28:12 (e.g., Prov 11:10; 29:2, 16). It refers to the wicked “rising to power” in government.
- Proverbs 28:28 tn Heb “a man” or “mankind” in a generic sense.
- Proverbs 28:28 tn The form is the Niphal imperfect of סָתַר (satar, “to hide”); in this stem it can mean “to hide themselves” or “to go into hiding.” In either case the expression would be a hyperbole; the populace would not go into hiding, but they would tread softly and move about cautiously. G. R. Driver suggests the Akkadian sataru instead, which means “to demolish,” and is cognate to the Aramaic “to destroy.” This would produce the idea that people are “destroyed” when the wicked come to power (“Problems in the Hebrew Text of Proverbs,” Bib 32 [1951]: 192-93). That meaning certainly fits the idea, but there is no reason for the change because the MT is perfectly readable as it is and makes good sense.
- Proverbs 28:28 tn The two clauses have parallel constructions: They both begin with infinitives construct with prepositions functioning as temporal clauses, followed by subjective genitives (first the wicked, and then the pronoun referring to them). This heightens the antithesis: “when the wicked rise…when they perish.”
Proverbs 28:28
Common English Bible
Proverbs 28:28
Common English Bible
28 When the wicked rise up, people hide,
but when they are destroyed, the righteous multiply.
Proverbs 29:2
New English Translation
Proverbs 29:2
New English Translation
2 When the righteous become numerous,[a] the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.[b]
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:2 tn The Hebrew form בִּרְבוֹת (birvot) is the Qal infinitive construct of רָבָה (ravah) with a ב (bet) preposition, forming a temporal clause with a subjective genitive following it. It is paralleled in the second colon by the same construction, showing the antithesis: וּבִמְשֹׁל (uvimshol), “and when the wicked rule.” Some commentators wish to change the first verb to make it parallel this more closely, e.g., רָדָה (radah, “to rule”), but that would be too neat and is completely unsupported. The contrast is between when the righteous increase and when the wicked rule. It is not hard to see how this contrast works out in society.
- Proverbs 29:2 tn The Niphal verb אָנַח (ʾanakh) means “to sigh; to groan,” usually because of grief or physical and emotional distress. The word is a metonymy of effect; the cause is the oppression and distress due to evil rulers.
Proverbs 29:2
Common English Bible
Proverbs 29:2
Common English Bible
2 When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked dominate, the people moan.
Proverbs 29:6-7
New English Translation
Proverbs 29:6-7
New English Translation
6 In the transgression of an evil person there is a snare,[a]
but a righteous person can sing[b] and rejoice.[c]
7 The righteous person cares for[d] the legal rights[e] of the poor;
the wicked person does not understand such[f] knowledge.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:6 tn The Syriac and Tg. Prov 29:6 simplify the meaning by writing it with a passive verb: “the evil man is ensnared by his guilt.” The metaphor of the snare indicates that the evil person will be caught in his own transgression.
- Proverbs 29:6 tc The two verbs create some difficulty because the book of Proverbs does not usually duplicate verbs like this and because the first verb יָרוּן (yarun) is irregular. The BHS editors prefer to emend it to יָרוּץ (yaruts, “will rush”; cf. NAB “runs on joyfully”). W. McKane emends it to “exult” to form a hendiadys: “is deliriously happy” (Proverbs [OTL], 638). G. R. Driver suggests changing the word to יָדוֹן (yadon) based on two Hebrew mss and an Arabic cognate dana, “continue.” He translates it “but the righteous remains and rejoices” (“Problems in the Hebrew Text of Proverbs,” Bib 32 [1951]: 193-94). None of these changes are particularly helpful. The verb is unusual for a geminate root, but Gesenius shows several places where the same pattern can be seen in other geminate verbs (GKC 180 §67.q). In light of this it is preferable to retain the reading of the MT here.
- Proverbs 29:6 sn These two verbs express the confidence of the righteous—they have no fears and so can sing. So the proverb is saying that only the righteous can enjoy a sense of security.
- Proverbs 29:7 tn The form is an active participle, יֹדֵעַ (yodeaʿ); it describes the righteous as “knowing, caring for, having sympathetic knowledge for, or considering favorably” the legal needs of the poor. Cf. NAB “has a care for”; NASB “is concerned for.”
- Proverbs 29:7 tn The Hebrew word used here is דִּין (din), which typically means “judgment,” but can also mean “strife” and “cause.” Here it refers to the “cause” of the poor (so KJV, ASV), their plea, their case, their legal rights. A righteous person is sympathetic to this.
- Proverbs 29:7 tn The term “such” is supplied in the translation for clarification. It is not simply any knowledge that the wicked do not understand, but the knowledge mentioned in the first colon. They do not understand the “sympathetic knowledge” or “concern” for the cause of the poor.
Proverbs 29:6-7
Common English Bible
Proverbs 29:6-7
Common English Bible
6 The wicked are snared by their own sin;[a]
the righteous sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous know the rights of the poor,
but the wicked don’t understand.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:6 Tg, Syr; MT In the sin of an evil man is a snare
Proverbs 29:16
New English Translation
Proverbs 29:16
New English Translation
16 When the wicked increase,[a] transgression increases,
but the righteous will see[b] their downfall.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:16 tn The verb רָבָה (ravah), which is repeated twice in this line, means “to increase.” The first occurrence here is usually taken to mean that when the wicked increase they hold the power (cf. NRSV, NLT “are in authority”; TEV, CEV “are in power”). The text does not explain the details, only that when the wicked increase sin will increase in the land.
- Proverbs 29:16 sn The Hebrew verb translated “see” in this context indicates a triumph: The righteous will gaze with satisfaction, or they will look on the downfall of the wicked triumphantly (e.g., Pss 37:4 and 112:8). The verse is teaching that no matter how widespread evil may be, the righteous will someday see its destruction.
Proverbs 29:16
Common English Bible
Proverbs 29:16
Common English Bible
16 When the wicked become numerous, so do crimes;
the righteous will see their downfall.
Proverbs 29:27
New English Translation
Proverbs 29:27
New English Translation
27 An unjust person is an abomination to the righteous,
and the one who lives an upright life[a] is an abomination to the wicked.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 29:27 tn Heb “who is upright in the way” (so NASB; KJV and ASV are similar). Here “in the way” refers to the course of a person’s life, hence “who lives an upright life.” Cf. NAB “he who walks uprightly.”sn The proverb makes a simple observation on life: The righteous detest the wicked, and the wicked detest the lifestyle of the righteous. Each is troublesome to the beliefs and the activities of the other.
Proverbs 29:27
Common English Bible
Proverbs 29:27
Common English Bible
27 The unjust person is disgusting to the righteous;
the straight path is disgusting to the wicked.
New English Translation (NET)
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