Amsal 3:15

3:15 She is more precious than rubies,

and none of the things ¹  you desire ²  can compare ³  with her. ⁴ 

Amsal 18:12

18:12 Before destruction the heart ⁵  of a person is proud,

but humility comes ⁶  before honor. ⁷ 

Amsal 21:3

21:3 To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable ⁸  to the Lord than sacrifice. ⁹ 

Amsal 27:5

27:5 Better is open ¹⁰  rebuke

than hidden ¹¹  love.

Amsal 30:30

30:30 a lion, mightiest ¹²  of the beasts,

who does not retreat from anything;

[3:15]  ¹ tn Heb “all of your desires cannot compare with her.”

[3:15]  ² tn Heb “your desires.” The 2nd person masculine singular suffix on the noun probably functions as subjective genitive.

[3:15]  ³ tn The imperfect tense verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish be like; to resemble”) has a potential nuance here: “can be compared with.”

[3:15]  ⁴ tn Heb “All of your desires do not compare with her.”

[18:12]  ⁵ sn The term “heart” is a metonymy of subject, referring to the seat of the spiritual and intellectual capacities – the mind, the will, the motivations and intentions. Proud ambitions and intentions will lead to a fall.

[18:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “[is] before honor”; cf. CEV “humility leads to honor.”

[18:12]  ⁷ sn The way to honor is through humility (e.g., Prov 11:2; 15:33; 16:18). The humility and exaltation of Jesus provides the classic example (Phil 2:1-10).

[21:3]  ⁸ tn The Niphal participle בָּחַר (bakhar, “to choose”) means “choice to the Lord” or “chosen of the Lord,” meaning “acceptable to the Lord”; cf. TEV “pleases the Lord more.”

[21:3]  ⁹ sn The Lord prefers righteousness above religious service (e.g., Prov 15:8; 21:29; 1 Sam 15:22; Ps 40:6-8; Isa 1:11-17). This is not a rejection of ritual worship; rather, religious acts are without value apart from righteous living.

[27:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “revealed” or “uncovered” (Pual participle from גָּלָה, galah). This would specify the reproof or rebuke as direct, honest, and frank, whether it was coming from a friend or an enemy.

[27:5]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “hidden” (a Pual participle from סָתַר, satar) refers to a love that is carefully concealed; this is contrasted with the open rebuke in the first line. What is described, then, is someone too timid, too afraid, or not trusting enough to admit that reproof is a genuine part of love (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 610). It is a love that is not expressed in proper concern for the one loved. See also, e.g., 28:23 and 29:3.

[30:30]  ¹² tn Heb “mighty among the beasts,” but referring to a superlative degree (“mightiest”).