36:4 He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed;
he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; 1
he does not reject what is evil. 2
4:16 For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; 3
they are robbed of sleep 4 until they make someone stumble. 5
1 tn Heb “he takes a stand in a way [that is] not good.” The word “way” here refers metaphorically to behavior or life style.
2 tn The three imperfect verbal forms in v. 4 highlight the characteristic behavior of the typical evildoer.
3 sn The verb is רָעַע (ra’a’), which means “to do evil; to harm.” The verse is using the figure of hyperbole to stress the preoccupation of some people with causing trouble. R. L. Alden says, “How sick to find peace only at the price of another man’s misfortune” (Proverbs, 47).
4 sn Heb “their sleep is robbed/seized”; these expressions are metonymical for their restlessness in plotting evil.
5 sn The Hiphil imperfect (Kethib) means “cause to stumble.” This idiom (from hypocatastasis) means “bring injury/ruin to someone” (BDB 505-6 s.v. כָּשַׁל Hiph.1).