Amsal 3:31

3:31 Do not envy a violent man, ¹ 

and do not choose to imitate ²  any of his ways;

Amsal 6:35

6:35 He will not consider ³  any compensation; ⁴ 

he will not be willing, even if you multiply the compensation. ⁵ 

Amsal 8:11

8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies,

and desirable things cannot be compared ⁶  to her.

Amsal 10:29

10:29 The way of the Lord ⁷  is like ⁸  a stronghold for the upright, ⁹ 

but it is destruction ¹⁰  to evildoers. ¹¹ 

Amsal 11:14

11:14 When there is no guidance ¹²  a nation falls,

but there is success ¹³  in the abundance of counselors.

Amsal 15:15

15:15 All the days ¹⁴  of the afflicted ¹⁵  are bad, ¹⁶ 

but one with ¹⁷  a cheerful heart has a continual feast. ¹⁸ 

Amsal 18:17

18:17 The first to state his case ¹⁹  seems ²⁰  right,

until his opponent ²¹  begins to ²²  cross-examine him. ²³ 

Amsal 29:25

29:25 The fear of people ²⁴  becomes ²⁵  a snare, ²⁶ 

but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high. ²⁷ 

[3:31]  ¹ tn Heb “a man of violence.” The noun חָמָס (khamas, “violence”) functions as an attributive genitive. The word itself means “violence, wrong” (HALOT 329 s.v.) and refers to physical violence, social injustice, harsh treatment, wild ruthlessness, injurious words, hatred, and general rudeness (BDB 329 s.v.).

[3:31]  ² tn Heb “do not choose.”

[6:35]  ³ tn Heb “lift up the face of,” meaning “regard.”

[6:35]  ⁴ tn The word rendered “compensation” is כֹּפֶר (cofer); it is essentially a ransom price, a sum to be paid to deliver another from debt, bondage, or crime. The husband cannot accept payment as a ransom for a life, since what has happened cannot be undone so easily.

[6:35]  ⁵ tn BDB 1005 s.v. שֹׁחַד suggests that this term means “hush money” or “bribe” (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT). C. H. Toy takes it as legal compensation (Proverbs [ICC], 142).

[8:11]  ⁶ tn The verb יִשְׁווּ (yishvu, from שָׁוָה, shavah) can be rendered “are not comparable” or in a potential nuance “cannot be compared” with her.

[10:29]  ⁷ sn The “way of the Lord” is an idiom for God’s providential administration of life; it is what the Lord does (“way” being a hypocatastasis).

[10:29]  ⁸ tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[10:29]  ⁹ tn Heb “for the one with integrity” (לַתֹּם, latom).

[10:29]  ¹⁰ tn Or “ruin” (so NIV).

[10:29]  ¹¹ tn Heb “those who practice iniquity.”

[11:14]  ¹² tn The word תַּחְבֻּלוֹת (takhvulot, “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.

[11:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “victory.” This term תְּשׁוּעָה (teshu’ah) 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.

[15:15]  ¹⁴ sn The “days” represent what happens on those days (metonymy of subject).

[15:15]  ¹⁵ tn The contrast is between the “afflicted” and the “good of heart” (a genitive of specification, “cheerful/healthy heart/spirit/attitude”).

[15:15]  sn The parallelism suggests that the afflicted is one afflicted within his spirit, for the proverb is promoting a healthy frame of mind.

[15:15]  ¹⁶ tn Or “evil”; or “catastrophic.”

[15:15]  ¹⁷ tn “one with” is supplied.

[15:15]  ¹⁸ sn The image of a continual feast signifies the enjoyment of what life offers (cf. TEV “happy people…enjoy life”). The figure is a hypocatastasis; among its several implications are joy, fulfillment, abundance, pleasure.

[18:17]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “in his legal case”; NAB “who pleads his case first.”

[18:17]  ²⁰ tn The term “seems” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness (cf. KJV “seemeth”).

[18:17]  ²¹ tn Heb “his neighbor”; NRSV “the other.”

[18:17]  ²² tn Heb “comes and.” The Kethib is the imperfect יָבֹא (yavo’), and the Qere is the conjunction with the participle/perfect tense form וּבָא (uva’). The latter is reflected in most of the ancient versions. There is not an appreciable difference in the translations, except for the use of the conjunction.

[18:17]  ²³ sn The proverb is a continuous sentence teaching that there must be cross-examination to settle legal disputes. There are two sides in any disputes, and so even though the first to present his case sounds right, it must be challenged. The verb הָקַר (haqar, translated “cross-examines”) is used for careful, diligent searching and investigating to know something (e.g., Ps 139:1).

[29:25]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the fear of man.” This uses an objective genitive to describe a situation where fearing what people might do or think controls one’s life. There is no indication in the immediate context that this should be limited only to males, so the translation uses the more generic “people” here.

[29:25]  ²⁵ tn Heb “gives [or yields, or produces]”; NIV “will prove to be.”

[29:25]  ²⁶ sn “Snare” is an implied comparison; fearing people is like being in a trap – there is no freedom of movement or sense of security.

[29:25]  ²⁷ sn The image of being set on high comes from the military experience of finding a defensible position, a place of safety and security, such as a high wall or a mountain. Trusting in the Lord sets people free and gives them a sense of safety and security (e.g, Prov 10:27; 12:2).