16:9 A person 1 plans his course, 2
but the Lord directs 3 his steps. 4
24:2 for their hearts contemplate violence,
and their lips speak harm. 5
1 tn Heb “the heart of a man.” This stresses that it is within the heart that plans are made. Only those plans that are approved by God will succeed.
2 tn Heb “his way” (so KJV, NASB).
3 tn The verb כּוּן (kun, “to establish; to confirm”) with צַעַד (tsa’ad, “step”) means “to direct” (e.g., Ps 119:133; Jer 10:23). This contrasts what people plan and what actually happens – God determines the latter.
4 sn “Steps” is an implied comparison, along with “way,” to indicate the events of the plan as they work out.
5 sn This nineteenth saying warns against evil associations. Evil people are obsessed with destruction and trouble. See on this theme 1:10-19; 3:31 and 23:17. D. Kidner observes that a close view of sinners is often a good antidote to envying them (Proverbs [TOTC], 153).