26:12 Do you see 1 a man wise in his own eyes? 2
There is more hope for a fool 3 than for him.
5:21 Those who think they are wise are as good as dead, 4
those who think they possess understanding. 5
1 tn The verse simply uses a perfect tense. The meaning of the verse would be the same if this were interpreted as an affirmation rather than as an interrogative. The first line calls such a person to one’s attention.
2 tn Heb “in his own eyes” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).
3 sn Previous passages in the book of Proverbs all but deny the possibility of hope for the fool. So this proverb is saying there is absolutely no hope for the self-conceited person, and there might be a slight hope for the fool – he may yet figure out that he really is a fool.
4 tn Heb “Woe [to] the wise in their own eyes.” See the note at v. 8.
5 tn Heb “[who] before their faces are understanding.”
6 tn Or “but give yourselves to menial tasks.” The translation depends on whether one takes the adjective “lowly” as masculine or neuter.
7 tn Grk “Do not be wise in your thinking.”