Amsal 23:4

23:4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich;

be wise enough to restrain yourself. ¹ 

Amsal 28:20

28:20 A faithful person ²  will have an abundance of blessings,

but the one who hastens ³  to gain riches will not go unpunished.

Amsal 28:22

28:22 The stingy person ⁴  hastens after riches

and does not know that poverty will overtake him. ⁵ 

Amsal 28:1

28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, ⁶ 

but the righteous person is as confident ⁷  as a lion.

Titus 1:9

1:9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, ⁸  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching ⁹  and correct those who speak against it.

[23:4]  ¹ tn Heb “from your understanding cease.” In the context this means that the person should have enough understanding to stop wearing himself out trying to be rich (cf. NRSV “be wise enough to desist”).

[28:20]  ² tn Heb “a man of faithfulness,” although the context does not indicate this should be limited only to males.

[28:20]  sn The text does not qualify the nature of the faithfulness. While this would certainly have implications for the person’s righteous acts, its primary meaning may be his diligence and reliability in his work. His faithful work will bring the returns.

[28:20]  ³ sn The proverb is not rebuking diligent labor. One who is eager to get rich quickly is the opposite of the faithful person. The first person is faithful to God and to the covenant community; the second is trying to get rich as quickly as possible, at the least without doing an honest day’s work and at the worst dishonestly. In a hurry to gain wealth, he falls into various schemes and will pay for it. Tg. Prov 28:20 interprets this to say he hastens through deceit and wrongdoing.

[28:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “a man with an evil eye” (as opposed to the generous man who has a “good” eye). This individual is selfish, unkind, unsympathetic to others. He looks only to his own gain. Cf. NAB “The avaricious man”; NLT “A greedy person.”

[28:22]  ⁵ sn The one who is hasty to gain wealth is involved in sin in some way, for which he will be punished by poverty. The idea of “hastening” after riches suggests a dishonest approach to acquiring wealth.

[28:1]  ⁶ sn The line portrays the insecurity of a guilty person – he flees because he has a guilty conscience, or because he is suspicious of others around him, or because he fears judgment.

[28:1]  ⁷ tn The verb בָּטַח (batakh) means “to trust; to be secure; to be confident.” Cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “bold.”

[28:1]  sn The righteous, who seek to find favor with God and man, have a clear conscience and do not need to look over their shoulders for avengers or law enforcers. Their position is one of confidence, so that they do not flee.

[1:9]  ⁸ tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).

[1:9]  ⁹ tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).