55:21 His words are as smooth as butter, 1
but he harbors animosity in his heart. 2
His words seem softer than oil,
but they are really like sharp swords. 3
15:1 A gentle response 4 turns away anger,
but a harsh word 5 stirs up wrath. 6
18:23 A poor person makes supplications, 7
but a rich man answers harshly. 8
25:15 Through patience 9 a ruler can be persuaded, 10
and a soft tongue 11 can break a bone. 12
30:10 They 13 say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”
and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! 14
Tell us nice things,
relate deceptive messages. 15
1 tn Heb “the butter-like [words] of his mouth are smooth.” The noun מַחְמָאֹת (makhma’ot, “butter-like [words]”) occurs only here. Many prefer to emend the form to מֵחֶמְאָה (mekhem’ah, from [i.e., “than”] butter”), cf. NEB, NRSV “smoother than butter.” However, in this case “his mouth” does not agree in number with the plural verb חָלְקוּ (kholqu, “they are smooth”). Therefore some further propose an emendation of פִּיו (piv, “his mouth”) to פָּנָיו (panayv, “his face”). In any case, the point seems to that the psalmist’s former friend spoke kindly to him and gave the outward indications of friendship.
2 tn Heb “and war [is in] his heart.”
3 tn Heb “his words are softer than oil, but they are drawn swords.”
4 tn Heb “soft answer.” The adjective רַּךְ (rakh, “soft; tender; gentle”; BDB 940 s.v.) is more than a mild response; it is conciliatory, an answer that restores good temper and reasonableness (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 477). Gideon illustrates this kind of answer (Judg 8:1-3) that brings peace.
5 tn Heb “word of harshness”; KJV “grievous words.” The noun עֶצֶב (’etsev, “pain, hurt”) functions as an attributive genitive. The term עֶצֶב refers to something that causes pain (BDB 780 s.v. I עֶצֶב). For example, Jephthah’s harsh answer led to war (Judg 12:1-6).
6 tn Heb “raises anger.” A common response to painful words is to let one’s temper flare up.
7 tn Heb “speaks supplications”; NIV “pleads for mercy.” The poor man has to ask for help because he has no choice (cf. CEV). The Hebrew term תַּחֲנוּן (takhanun) is a “supplication for favor” (related to the verb חָנַן [khanan], “to be gracious; to show favor”). So the poor man speaks, but what he speaks is a request for favor.
8 sn The rich person responds harshly to the request. He has hardened himself against such appeals because of relentless demands. The proverb is an observation saying; it simply describes the way the world generally works, rather than setting this out as the ideal.
9 tn Heb “long of anger” or “forbearance” (so NASB).
10 tn The two imperfect verbs in this line may be nuanced as potential imperfects because what is described could happen, but does not do so as a rule.
11 tn The “tongue” is a metonymy of cause; and so the expression here refers to soft or gentle speech. This fits well with the parallel idea of patience (“long of anger”) – through a calm patient persuasion much can be accomplished. Some English versions relate this figure directly to the persuasion of a ruler in the previous line (cf. TEV “can even convince rulers”).
12 sn The idea of breaking a bone uses the hardest and most firm part of the body in contrast to the “softness of the tongue.” Both are figurative, forming a comparison. A gentle speech can break down any stiff opposition.
13 tn Heb “who” (so NASB, NRSV). A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
14 tn Heb “Do not see for us right things.”
15 tn Heb “Tell us smooth things, see deceptive things.”