Amsal 11:3-8

11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, ¹ 

but the crookedness of the unfaithful destroys them. ² 

11:4 Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, ³ 

but righteousness delivers from mortal danger. ⁴ 

11:5 The righteousness of the blameless will make straight their way, ⁵ 

but the wicked person will fall by his own wickedness. ⁶ 

11:6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, ⁷ 

but the faithless will be captured ⁸  by their own desires. ⁹ 

11:7 When a wicked person dies, his expectation perishes, ¹⁰ 

and the hope of his strength ¹¹  perishes. ¹² 

11:8 The righteous person is delivered ¹³  out of trouble,

and the wicked turns up in his stead. ¹⁴ 

[11:3]  ¹ sn This contrasts two lifestyles, affirming the value of integrity. The upright live with integrity – blamelessness – and that integrity leads them in success and happiness. Those who use treachery will be destroyed by it.

[11:3]  ² tc The form is a Kethib/Qere reading. The Qere יְשָׁדֵּם (yÿshadem) is an imperfect tense with the pronominal suffix. The Kethib וְשַׁדָּם (vÿshadam) is a perfect tense with a vav prefixed and a pronominal suffix. The Qere is supported by the versions.

[11:4]  ³ sn The “day of wrath” refers to divine punishment in this life (R. N. Whybray, Proverbs [CBC], 67; e.g., also Job 21:30; Ezek 7:19; Zeph 1:18). Righteousness and not wealth is more valuable in anticipating judgment.

[11:4]  ⁴ tn Heb “from death.”

[11:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “his way.”

[11:5]  ⁶ sn The righteous will enjoy security and serenity throughout life. Righteousness makes the path straight; wickedness destroys the wicked.

[11:6]  ⁷ sn The contrast is between being rescued or delivered (נָצַל, natsal) and being captured (לָכַד, lakhad). Righteousness is freeing; [evil] desires are enslaving.

[11:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “taken captive” (so NRSV); NIV, TEV “are trapped.”

[11:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “but by the desire of the faithless are they taken captive.”

[11:7]  ¹⁰ tn The first colon features an imperfect tense depicting habitual action, while the second has a perfect tense verb depicting gnomic action.

[11:7]  sn The subject of this proverb is the hope of the wicked, showing its consequences – his expectations die with him (Ps 49). Any hope for long life and success borne of wickedness will be disappointed.

[11:7]  ¹¹ tc There are several suggested changes for this word אוֹנִים (’onim, “vigor” or “strength”). Rashi, a Jewish scholar who lived a.d. 1040-1105, suggests that the word refers to children, a meaning implied from Gen 49:3. This would mean that even his children would not benefit from his wickedness. Tg. Prov 11:7 rendered it “who practice crookedness,” deriving it from the first root which means “wickedness.”

[11:7]  ¹² tc The LXX adds an antithesis to this: “When the righteous dies, hope does not perish.” The LXX translators wanted to see the hope of the righteous fulfilled in the world to come.

[11:8]  ¹³ tn The verb is the Niphal perfect from the first root חָלַץ (khalats), meaning “to draw off; to withdraw,” and hence “to be delivered.”

[11:8]  sn The verse is not concerned with the problem of evil and the suffering of the righteous; it is only concerned with the principle of divine justice.

[11:8]  ¹⁴ tn The verb is masculine singular, so the subject cannot be “trouble.” The trouble from which the righteous escape will come on the wicked – but the Hebrew text literally says that the wicked “comes [= arrives; turns up; shows up] in the place of the righteous.” Cf. NASB “the wicked takes his place”; NRSV “the wicked get into it instead”; NIV “it comes on the wicked instead.”