11:27 The one who diligently seeks 1 good seeks favor,
but the one who searches 2 for evil – it will come to him. 3
1 tn Two separate words are used here for “seek.” The first is שָׁחַר (shakhar, “to seek diligently”) and the second is בָּקַשׁ (baqash, “to seek after; to look for”). Whoever is seeking good is in effect seeking favor – from either God or man (e.g., Ps 5:12; Isa 49:8).
2 tn The participle דֹּרֵשׁ (doresh) means “to seek; to inquire; to investigate.” A person generally receives the consequences of the kind of life he seeks.
3 tn The verb is the imperfect tense, third feminine singular, referring to “evil,” the object of the participle.