Amsal 2:11

2:11 Discretion ¹  will protect you, ² 

understanding will guard you,

Amsal 16:11

16:11 Honest scales and balances ³  are from the Lord;

all the weights ⁴  in the bag are his handiwork.

Amsal 29:26

29:26 Many people seek the face ⁵  of a ruler,

but it is from the Lord that one receives justice. ⁶ 

Amsal 31:16

31:16 She considers ⁷  a field and buys it;

from her own income ⁸  she plants a vineyard.

[2:11]  ¹ tn The word מְזִמָּה (mÿzimmah, “discretion”) is the ability to know the best course of action for achieving one’s goal. It is knowledge and understanding with a purpose. This kind of knowledge enables one to make the right choices that will protect him from blunders and their consequences (cf. NLT “wise planning”; CEV “sound judgment”).

[2:11]  ² tn Heb “will watch over you.”

[16:11]  ³ tn Heb “a scale and balances of justice.” This is an attributive genitive, meaning “just scales and balances.” The law required that scales and measures be accurate and fair (Lev 19:36; Deut 25:13). Shrewd dishonest people kept light and heavy weights to make unfair transactions.

[16:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “stones.”

[29:26]  ⁵ sn The idiom seek the face means to try to obtain favor from someone. According to the proverb, many people assume that true justice depends on the disposition of some earthly ruler.

[29:26]  ⁶ tn Heb “but from the Lord [is] justice of a man.” The last part uses the construct state followed by the genitive, which here shows the advantage – it is justice for the person. The implication of the matter is that people should seek the Lord’s favor (rather than a human ruler’s) if they want true justice.

[31:16]  ⁷ tn The first word of the seventh line begins with ז (zayin), the seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

[31:16]  sn The word “considers” means “to plan carefully” in accordance with her purposes. The word is often used in the book of Proverbs for devising evil; but here it is used positively of the woman’s wise investment.

[31:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “from the fruit of her hands.” The expression employs two figures. “Hands” is a metonymy of cause, indicating the work she does. “Fruit” is a hypocatastasis, an implied comparison meaning what she produces, the income she earns. She is able to plant a vineyard from her income.