3:17 Her ways are very pleasant, 1
and all her paths are peaceful.
4:26 Make the path for your feet 2 level, 3
so that 4 all your ways may be established. 5
3:15 She is more precious than rubies,
and none of the things 6 you desire 7 can compare 8 with her. 9
19:6 Many people entreat the favor 10 of a generous person, 11
and everyone is the friend 12 of the person who gives gifts. 13
20:3 It is an honor for a person 14 to cease 15 from strife,
but every fool quarrels. 16
21:5 The plans of the diligent 17 lead 18 only to plenty, 19
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. 20
5:21 For the ways of a person 21 are in front of the Lord’s eyes,
and the Lord 22 weighs 23 all that person’s 24 paths.
8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies,
and desirable things cannot be compared 25 to her.
20:1 Wine 26 is a mocker 27 and strong drink is a brawler;
whoever goes astray by them is not wise. 28
1 tn Heb “her ways are ways of pleasantness” (so KJV, NRSV). The present translation contracts this expression for the sake of smoothness. The plural of דֶרֶךְ (derekh, “way”) is repeated for emphasis. The noun נֹעַם (no’am, “pleasantness”) functions as an attributive genitive: “pleasant ways.”
2 tn Heb “path of your foot.”
3 sn The verb is a denominative Piel from the word פֶּלֶס (peles), “balance; scale.” In addition to telling the disciple to keep focused on a righteous life, the sage tells him to keep his path level, which is figurative for living the righteous life.
4 tn The vav prefixed to the beginning of this dependent clause denotes purpose/result following the preceding imperative.
5 tn The Niphal jussive from כּוּן (cun, “to be fixed; to be established; to be steadfast”) continues the idiom of walking and ways for the moral sense in life.
3 tn Heb “all of your desires cannot compare with her.”
4 tn Heb “your desires.” The 2nd person masculine singular suffix on the noun probably functions as subjective genitive.
5 tn The imperfect tense verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish be like; to resemble”) has a potential nuance here: “can be compared with.”
6 tn Heb “All of your desires do not compare with her.”
4 tn The verb יְחַלּוּ (yÿkhalu) is a Piel imperfect of חָלָה (khalah) meaning “to seek favor; to entreat favor; to mollify; to appease”; cf. NIV “curry favor.” It literally means “making the face of someone sweet or pleasant,” as in stroking the face. To “entreat the favor” of someone is to induce him to show favor; the action aims at receiving gifts, benefits, or any other kind of success.
5 tn Heb “the face of a generous man”; ASV “the liberal man.” The term “face” is a synecdoche of part (= face) for the whole (= person).
6 sn The proverb acknowledges the fact of life; but it also reminds people of the value of gifts in life, especially in business or in politics.
7 tn Heb “a man of gifts.” This could be (1) attributive genitive: a man characterized by giving gifts or (2) objective genitive: a man who gives gifts (IBHS 146 §9.5.2b).
5 tn Heb “man.”
6 tn Heb “cessation” (שֶׁבֶת, shevet); NAB “to shun strife”; NRSV “refrain from strife.”
7 tn Heb “breaks out.” The Hitpael of the verb גָּלַע (gala’, “to expose; to lay bare”) means “to break out; to disclose oneself,” and so the idea of flaring up in a quarrel is clear. But there are also cognate connections to the idea of “showing the teeth; snarling” and so quarreling viciously.
6 tn The word “diligent” is an adjective used substantivally. The related verb means “to cut, sharpen, decide”; so the adjective describes one who is “sharp” – one who acts decisively. The word “hasty” has the idea of being pressed or pressured into quick actions. So the text contrasts calculated expeditiousness with unproductive haste. C. H. Toy does not like this contrast, and so proposes changing the latter to “lazy” (Proverbs [ICC], 399), but W. McKane rightly criticizes that as unnecessarily forming a pedestrian antithesis (Proverbs [OTL], 550).
7 tn The term “lead” is supplied in the translation.
8 tn The Hebrew noun translated “plenty” comes from the verb יָתַר (yatar), which means “to remain over.” So the calculated diligence will lead to abundance, prosperity.
9 tn Heb “lack; need; thing needed”; NRSV “to want.”
7 tn Heb “man.”
8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
9 tn BDB 814 s.v. פָּלַס 2 suggests that the participle מְפַּלֵּס (mÿpalles) means “to make level [or, straight].” As one’s ways are in front of the eyes of the
10 tn Heb “all his”; the referent (the person mentioned in the first half of the verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn The verb יִשְׁווּ (yishvu, from שָׁוָה, shavah) can be rendered “are not comparable” or in a potential nuance “cannot be compared” with her.
9 sn The drinks are wine and barley beer (e.g., Lev 10:9; Deut 14:26; Isa 28:7). These terms here could be understood as personifications, but better as metonymies for those who drink wine and beer. The inebriated person mocks and brawls.
10 tn The two participles לֵץ (lets, “mocker”) and הֹמֶה (homeh, “brawler”) are substantives; they function as predicates in the sentence. Excessive use of intoxicants excites the drinker to boisterous behavior and aggressive attitudes – it turns them into mockers and brawlers.
11 sn The proverb does not prohibit the use of wine or beer; in fact, strong drink was used at festivals and celebrations. But intoxication was considered out of bounds for a member of the covenant community (e.g., 23:20-21, 29-35; 31:4-7). To be led astray by their use is not wise.