11:17 A kind person 1 benefits 2 himself, 3
but a cruel person brings himself trouble. 4
31:12 She brings him 5 good and not evil 6
all the days of her life.
3:30 Do not accuse 7 anyone 8 without legitimate cause, 9
if he has not treated you wrongly.
1 tn Heb “man of kindness.”
2 tn The term גֹּמֶל (gomel) means “to deal fully [or “adequately”] with” someone or something. The kind person will benefit himself.
3 tn Heb “his own soul.” The term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”) is used as a synecdoche of part (= soul) for the whole (= person): “himself” (BDB 660 s.v. 4).
4 tn Heb “brings trouble to his flesh.”
5 tn The first word of the third line begins with ג (gimel), the third letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
6 sn The joining of these two words, “good” and “evil,” is frequent in the Bible; they contrast the prosperity and well-being of her contribution with what would be devastating and painful. The way of wisdom is always characterized by “good”; the way of folly is associated with “evil.”
9 sn The term רִיב (riv) can mean “quarrel” or “legal accusation” (BDB 936 s.v.). Both ideas would work but the more technical legal accusation fits the context better. This is a warning to not bring legal accusations against anyone without a legitimate reason.
10 tn Heb “a man.”
11 tn Heb “gratuitously”; NIV, TEV “for no (+ good NCV) reason.” The adverb חִנָּם (khinam) means “without cause, undeservedly,” especially of groundless hostility (HALOT 334 s.v. 3; BDB 336 s.v. c).