Amsal 21:22

21:22 The wise person ¹  can scale ²  the city of the mighty

and bring down the stronghold ³  in which they trust. ⁴ 

Amsal 24:31

24:31 I saw ⁵  that thorns had grown up all over it,

the ground ⁶  was covered with weeds,

and its stone wall was broken down.

Amsal 25:28

25:28 Like a city that is broken down and without a wall,

so is a person who cannot control his temper. ⁷ 

[21:22]  ¹ tn Heb “The wise [one/man].”

[21:22]  ² tn The Qal perfect tense of עָלָה (’alah) functions in a potential nuance. Wisdom can be more effectual than physical strength.

[21:22]  ³ sn In a war the victory is credited not so much to the infantry as to the tactician who plans the attack. Brilliant strategy wins wars, even over apparently insuperable odds (e.g., Prov 24:5-6; Eccl 9:13-16; 2 Cor 10:4).

[21:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “and bring down the strength of its confidence.” The word “strength” is a metonymy of adjunct, referring to the place of strength, i.e., “the stronghold.” “Confidence” is a genitive of worth; the stronghold is their confidence, it is appropriate for the confidence of the city.

[24:31]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew term וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, traditionally “and, lo” [KJV, ASV]) is a deictic particle that calls attention to what comes next. “And look” is too abrupt here; “I saw” calls attention to the field that was noticed.

[24:31]  ⁶ tn Heb “its face” (so KJV, ASV).

[25:28]  ⁷ 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.