Proverbs 13:6

13:6 Righteousness guards the one who lives with integrity,

but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Proverbs 19:3

19:3 A person’s folly subverts his way,

and his heart rages against the Lord.


sn Righteousness refers to that which conforms to law and order. One who behaves with integrity will be safe from consequences of sin.

tn Heb “blameless of way.” The term דָּרֶךְ (darekh) is a genitive of specification: “blameless in respect to his way.” This means living above reproach in their course of life. Cf. NASB “whose way is blameless”; NAB “who walks honestly.”

sn Righteousness and wickedness are personified in this proverb to make the point of security and insecurity for the two courses of life.

tn Heb “the folly of a man.”

tn The verb סָלַף (salaf) normally means “to twist; to pervert; to overturn,” but in this context it means “to subvert” (BDB 701 s.v.); cf. ASV “subverteth.”

tn The clause begins with vav on the nonverb phrase “against the Lord.” While clause structure and word order is less compelling in a book like Proverbs, this fits well as a circumstantial clause indicating concession.

sn The “heart raging” is a metonymy of cause (or adjunct); it represents the emotions that will lead to blaming God for the frustration. Genesis 42:28 offers a calmer illustration of this as the brothers ask what God was doing to them.