Proverbs 11:23

11:23 What the righteous desire ¹  leads ²  only to good,

but what the wicked hope for ³  leads ⁴  to wrath.

Proverbs 24:9

24:9 A foolish scheme ⁵  is sin,

and the scorner is an abomination to people. ⁶ 

Psalms 119:15

119:15 I will meditate on ⁷  your precepts

and focus ⁸  on your behavior. ⁹ 

Psalms 139:23

139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! ¹⁰ 

Test me, and know my concerns! ¹¹ 

Isaiah 55:7

55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle ¹² 

and sinful people their plans. ¹³ 

They should return ¹⁴  to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, ¹⁵ 

and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. ¹⁶ 

Jeremiah 4:14

4:14 “Oh people of Jerusalem, purify your hearts from evil ¹⁷ 

so that you may yet be delivered.

How long will you continue to harbor up

wicked schemes within you?

[11:23]  ¹ tn Heb “the desire of the righteous.” The noun תַּאֲוַת (ta’avat) functions as an objective genitive: “what the righteous desire.”

[11:23]  ² tn The phrase “leads to” does not appear in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation. The desire of the righteous (in itself good) ends in good things, whereas the hope of the wicked ends in wrath, i.e., divine judgment on them. Another interpretation is that the righteous desire is to do good things, but the wicked hope to produce wrath (cf. CEV “troublemakers hope to stir up trouble”).

[11:23]  ³ tn Heb “the hope of the wicked.” The noun תִּקְוַת (tiqvat) “expectation” functions as an objective genitive: “what the wicked hope for.”

[11:23]  ⁴ tn The term “leads” does not appear in the Hebrew text in this line but is implied by the parallelism. It is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

[24:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “the scheme of folly” (NIV similar). The genitive functions as an attributive genitive, meaning “foolish scheme.” But it could also be interpreted as a genitive of source, the scheme that comes from folly (or from the fool if “folly” were metonymical).

[24:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “to a man”; cf. CEV “Everyone hates senseless fools.”

[119:15]  ⁷ tn The cohortative verbal forms in this verse express the psalmist’s resolve.

[119:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “gaze [at].”

[119:15]  ⁹ tn Heb “ways” (referring figuratively to God’s behavior here).

[139:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and know my heart.”

[139:23]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew noun שַׂרְעַפַּי (sar’apay, “concerns”) is used of “worries” in Ps 94:19.

[55:7]  ¹² tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”

[55:7]  ¹⁵ tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.

[55:7]  ¹⁶ sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.

[4:14]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “Oh, Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil.”