Proverbs 10:14-15

10:14 Those who are wise ¹  store up ²  knowledge,

but foolish speech ³  leads to imminent ⁴  destruction.

10:15 The wealth of a rich person is like ⁵  a fortified city, ⁶ 

but the poor are brought to ruin ⁷  by ⁸  their poverty.

Proverbs 10:29

10:29 The way of the Lord ⁹  is like ¹⁰  a stronghold for the upright, ¹¹ 

but it is destruction ¹²  to evildoers. ¹³ 

Proverbs 13:3

13:3 The one who guards his words ¹⁴  guards his life,

but ¹⁵  whoever is talkative ¹⁶  will come to ruin. ¹⁷ 

Proverbs 14:28

14:28 A king’s glory is ¹⁸  the abundance of people,

but the lack of subjects ¹⁹  is the ruin ²⁰  of a ruler.

Proverbs 18:7

18:7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin,

and his lips are a snare for his life. ²¹ 

Proverbs 21:15

21:15 Doing ²²  justice brings ²³  joy to the righteous

and terror ²⁴  to those who do evil.

[10:14]  ¹ tn Heb “wise men.”

[10:14]  ² sn The verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to store up; to treasure”) may mean (1) the wise acquire and do not lose wisdom (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV), or (2) they do not tell all that they know (cf. NCV), that is, they treasure it up for a time when they will need it. The fool, by contrast, talks without thinking.

[10:14]  ³ tn Heb “the mouth of foolishness”; cf. NRSV, NLT “the babbling of a fool.” The term פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) functions as a metonymy of cause for speech. The genitive אֶוִיל (’evil, “foolishness”) functions as an attributive adjective: “a foolish mouth” = foolish speech.

[10:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “near destruction.” The words of the fool that are uttered without wise forethought may invite imminent ruin (e.g., James 3:13-18). See also Ptah-hotep and Amenemope in ANET 414 and 423.

[10:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “is.” This expression, “a rich man’s wealth is his strong city,” is a metaphor. The comparative particle “like” is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[10:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “a city of his strength.” The genitive עֹז (’oz, “strength”) functions as an attributive genitive: “strong city” = “fortified city.” This phrase is a metaphor; wealth protects its possessions against adversity like a fortified city. Such wealth must be attained by diligence and righteous means (e.g., 13:8; 18:23; 22:7).

[10:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “the ruin of the poor.” The term דַּלִּים (dalim, “of the poor”) functions as an objective genitive. Poverty leads to the ruin of the poor. The term “ruin” includes the shambles in which the person lives. This provides no security but only the fear of ruin. This proverb is an observation on life.

[10:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “is their poverty.”

[10:29]  ⁹ sn The “way of the Lord” is an idiom for God’s providential administration of life; it is what the Lord does (“way” being a hypocatastasis).

[10:29]  ¹⁰ tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

[10:29]  ¹¹ tn Heb “for the one with integrity” (לַתֹּם, latom).

[10:29]  ¹² tn Or “ruin” (so NIV).

[10:29]  ¹³ tn Heb “those who practice iniquity.”

[13:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “mouth” (so KJV, NAB). The term פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) functions as a metonymy of cause for speech.

[13:3]  ¹⁴ tn The term “but” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[13:3]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “opens wide his lips.” This is an idiom meaning “to be talkative” (BDB 832 s.v. פָּשַׂק Qal). Cf. NIV “speaks rashly”; TEV “a careless talker”; CEV “talk too much.”

[13:3]  ¹⁶ sn Tight control over what one says prevents trouble (e.g., Prov 10:10; 17:28; Jas 3:1-12; Sir 28:25). Amenemope advises to “sleep a night before speaking” (5:15; ANET 422, n. 10). The old Arab proverb is appropriate: “Take heed that your tongue does not cut your throat” (O. Zockler, Proverbs, 134).

[14:28]  ¹⁷ tn The preposition serves as the beth essentiae – the glory is the abundant population, not in it.

[14:28]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “people.” Cf. NLT “a dwindling nation.”

[14:28]  ¹⁹ sn The word means “ruin; destruction,” but in this context it could be a metonymy of effect, the cause being an attack by more numerous people that will bring ruin to the ruler. The proverb is purely a practical and secular saying, unlike some of the faith teachings in salvation history passages.

[18:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “his soul” (so KJV, NASB, NIV).

[21:15]  ²⁵ tn The Qal infinitive construct עֲשׂוֹת (’asot) functions as the subject of the sentence.

[21:15]  ²⁶ tn The term “brings” is supplied in the translation; many English versions supply a simple copula (“is”).

[21:15]  ²⁷ sn The noun means “terror (NAB, NASB, NIV), destruction (KJV, ASV), ruin (cf. NCV).” Its related verb means “be shattered, dismayed.” The idea of “dismay” (NRSV) or “terror” would make the better choice to contrast with “joy” in the first line, but “ruin” is also possible. Whenever justice prevails, whether in the courts or simply in society, the people who practice iniquity may be shaken into reality by fear (cf. CEV “crooks are terrified”).