91:14 The Lord says, 1
“Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;
I will protect him 2 because he is loyal to me. 3
23:5 When you gaze upon riches, 4 they are gone,
for they surely make wings for themselves,
and fly off into the sky like an eagle! 5
1 tn The words “the
2 tn Or “make him secure” (Heb “set him on high”).
3 tn Heb “because he knows my name” (see Ps 9:10).
4 tc The Kethib is הֲתָעוּף (hata’uf), “do your eyes fly [light] on it?” The Qere is the Hiphil, הֲתָעִיף (hata’if) “do you cause your eyes to fly on it?” But the line is difficult. The question may be indirect: If you cast your eyes on it, it is gone – when you think you are close, it slips away.
5 sn This seventh saying warns people not to expend all their energy trying to get rich because riches are fleeting (cf. Instruction of Amememope, chap. 7, 9:10-11 which says, “they have made themselves wings like geese and have flown away to heaven”). In the ancient world the symbol of birds flying away signified fleeting wealth.