Amsal 2:21

2:21 For the upright will reside in the land,

and those with integrity ¹  will remain in it,

Amsal 6:30

6:30 People ²  do not despise a thief when he steals

to fulfill his need ³  when he is hungry.

Amsal 10:10

10:10 The one who winks ⁴  his ⁵  eye causes ⁶  trouble,

and the one who speaks foolishness ⁷  will come to ruin.

Amsal 22:9

22:9 A generous person ⁸  will be blessed, ⁹ 

for he gives some of his food ¹⁰  to the poor.

Amsal 23:9

23:9 Do not speak in the ears of a fool, ¹¹ 

for he will despise the wisdom of your words. ¹² 

Amsal 24:6

24:6 for with guidance you wage your war,

and with numerous advisers there is victory. ¹³ 

Amsal 29:19

29:19 A servant ¹⁴  cannot be corrected ¹⁵  by words,

for although ¹⁶  he understands, there is no answer. ¹⁷ 

Amsal 30:2

30:2 Surely ¹⁸  I am more brutish ¹⁹  than any other human being, ²⁰ 

and I do not have human understanding; ²¹ 

[2:21]  ¹ tn Heb “the blameless” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “the honest”; NRSV “the innocent.” The term תְּמִימִים (tÿmimim, “the blameless”) describes those who live with integrity. They are blameless in that they live above reproach according to the requirements of the law.

[6:30]  ² tn Heb “they do not despise.”

[6:30]  ³ tn Heb “himself” or “his life.” Since the word נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, traditionally “soul”) refers to the whole person, body and soul, and since it has a basic idea of the bundle of appetites that make up a person, the use here for satisfying his hunger is appropriate.

[10:10]  ⁴ tn The term (קָרַץ, qarats) describes a person who habitually “winks” his eye maliciously as a secretive sign to those conspiring evil (Prov 6:13). This is a comparison rather than a contrast. Devious gestures are grievous, but not as ruinous as foolish talk. Both are to be avoided.

[10:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “the eye.”

[10:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “gives.”

[10:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “the fool of lips”; cf. NASB “a babbling fool.” The phrase is a genitive of specification: “a fool in respect to lips.” The term “lips” is a metonymy of cause (= lips) for effect (= speech). The word for fool (אֶוִיל, ’evil) refers to someone who despises knowledge and discernment.

[22:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “good of eye.” This expression is an attributed genitive meaning “bountiful of eye” (cf. KJV, ASV “He that hath a bountiful eye”). This is the opposite of the “evil eye” which is covetous and wicked. The “eye” is a metonymy representing looking well to people’s needs. So this refers to the generous person (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[22:9]  ⁹ tn The form יְבֹרָךְ (yÿvorakh) is a Pual imperfect (here in pause) from בָּרַךְ (barakh); the word means “blessed” in the sense of “enriched,” implying there is a practical reward for being generous to the poor.

[22:9]  ¹⁰ sn It is from his own food that he gives to the poor. Of the many observations that could be made, it is worth noting that in blessing this kind of person God is in fact providing for the poor, because out of his blessing he will surely continue to share more.

[23:9]  ¹¹ sn The mention of “the ears” emphasizes the concerted effort to get the person’s undivided attention. However, a fool rejects instruction and discipline.

[23:9]  ¹² sn Saying number nine indicates that wisdom is wasted on a fool. The literature of Egypt has no specific parallel to this one.

[24:6]  ¹³ sn The point of the saying is that wise counsel is necessary in war. Victory, strategy, and counsel are more important than mere military strength – many great armies have been destroyed because of their unwise leaders. See on this theme 11:14; 20:18; and 21:22.

[29:19]  ¹⁴ sn Servants could not be corrected by mere words; they had to be treated like children for they were frequently unresponsive. This, of course, would apply to certain kinds of servants. The Greek version translated this as “a stubborn servant.”

[29:19]  ¹⁵ tn The Niphal imperfect here is best rendered as a potential imperfect – “cannot be corrected.” The second line of the verse clarifies that even though the servant understands the words, he does not respond. It will take more.

[29:19]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “for he understands, but there is no answer.” The concessive idea (“although”) is taken from the juxtaposition of the two parts.

[29:19]  ¹⁷ sn To say “there is no answer” means that this servant does not obey – he has to be trained in a different way.

[30:2]  ¹⁸ tn The particle כִּי (ki) functions in an asseverative sense, “surely; indeed; truly” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §449).

[30:2]  ¹⁹ tn The noun בַּעַר (ba’ar) means “brutishness”; here it functions as a predicate adjective. It is followed by מֵאִישׁ (me’ish) expressing comparative degree: “more than a man” or “more than any man,” with “man” used in a generic sense. He is saying that he has fallen beneath the level of mankind. Cf. NRSV “I am too stupid to be human.”

[30:2]  ²⁰ tn Heb “than man.” The verse is using hyperbole; this individual feels as if he has no intelligence at all, that he is more brutish than any other human. Of course this is not true, or he would not be able to speculate on the God of the universe at all.

[30:2]  ²¹ tn Heb “the understanding of a man,” with “man” used attributively here.