Proverbs 22:21

22:21 to show you true and reliable words, ¹ 

so that you may give accurate answers ²  to those who sent you?

Proverbs 8:7

8:7 For my mouth ³  speaks truth, ⁴ 

and my lips ⁵  hate wickedness. ⁶ 

Proverbs 11:18

11:18 The wicked person ⁷  earns ⁸  deceitful wages, ⁹ 

but the one who sows ¹⁰  righteousness reaps ¹¹  a genuine ¹²  reward. ¹³ 

Proverbs 12:19

12:19 The one who tells the truth ¹⁴  will endure forever,

but the one who lies ¹⁵  will last only for a moment. ¹⁶ 

Proverbs 14:25

14:25 A truthful witness ¹⁷  rescues lives, ¹⁸ 

but the one who breathes lies brings ¹⁹  deception. ²⁰ 

Proverbs 23:23

23:23 Acquire ²¹  truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

[22:21]  ¹ tn Heb “to cause you to know the truth of words of truth” (NASB similar).

[22:21]  ² tn Heb “to return true words”; NAB “a dependable report”; NIV “sound answers.”

[8:7]  ³ tn Heb “roof of the mouth.” This expression is a metonymy of cause for the activity of speaking.

[8:7]  ⁴ tn The word “truth” (אֱמֶת, ’emet) is derived from the verbal root אָמַן (’aman) which means “to support.” There are a number of derived nouns that have the sense of reliability: “pillars,” “master craftsman,” “nurse,” “guardian.” Modifiers related to this group of words includes things like “faithful,” “surely,” “truly” (amen). In the derived stems the verb develops various nuances: The Niphal has the meanings of “reliable, faithful, sure, steadfast,” and the Hiphil has the meaning “believe” (i.e., consider something dependable). The noun “truth” means what is reliable or dependable, firm or sure.

[8:7]  ⁵ sn Wise lips detest wickedness; wisdom hates speaking wicked things. In fact, speaking truth results in part from detesting wickedness.

[8:7]  ⁶ tn Heb “wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).

[11:18]  ⁵ tn The form is the masculine singular adjective used as a substantive.

[11:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “makes” (so NAB).

[11:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “wages of deception.”

[11:18]  ⁸ sn The participle “sowing” provides an implied comparison (the figure is known as hypocatastasis) with the point of practicing righteousness and inspiring others to do the same. What is sown will yield fruit (1 Cor 9:11; 2 Cor 9:6; Jas 3:18).

[11:18]  ⁹ tn The term “reaps” does not appear in the Hebrew but has been supplied in the translation from context for the sake of smoothness.

[11:18]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “true” (so NASB, NRSV); KJV, NAB, NIV “sure.”

[11:18]  ¹¹ sn A wordplay (paronomasia) occurs between “deceptive” (שָׁקֶר, shaqer) and “reward” (שֶׂכֶר, sekher), underscoring the contrast by the repetition of sounds. The wages of the wicked are deceptive; the reward of the righteous is sure.

[12:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “a lip of truth.” The genitive אֱמֶת (’emet, “truth”) functions as an attributive adjective: “truthful lip.” The term שְׂפַת (sÿfat, “lip”) functions as a synecdoche of part (= lip) for the whole (= person): “truthful person.” The contrast is between “the lip of truth” and the “tongue of lying.”

[12:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “a tongue of deceit.” The genitive שָׁקֶר (shaqer, “deceit”) functions as an attributive genitive. The noun לָשׁוֹן (lashon, “tongue”) functions as a synecdoche of part (= tongue) for the whole (= person): “lying person.”

[12:19]  ⁹ tn Heb “while I would twinkle.” This expression is an idiom meaning “only for a moment.” The twinkling of the eye, the slightest movement, signals the brevity of the life of a lie (hyperbole). But truth will be established (תִּכּוֹן, tikon), that is, be made firm and endure.

[14:25]  ⁹ tn Heb “a witness of truth”; cf. CEV “an honest witness.”

[14:25]  ¹⁰ tn The noun נְפָשׁוֹת (nÿfashot) often means “souls,” but here “lives” – it functions as a metonymy for life (BDB 659 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 3.c).

[14:25]  ¹¹ tn The term “brings” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity. Also possible, “is deceitful.”

[14:25]  ¹² tc Several commentators suggest emending the text from the noun מִרְמָה (mirmah, “deception”) to the participle מְרַמֶּה (mÿrameh, “destroys”). However, this revocalization is not necessary because the MT makes sense as it stands: A false witness destroys lives.

[23:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “buy” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “Invest in truth.”