Proverbs 23:10

23:10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone,

or take over ¹  the fields of the fatherless,

Proverbs 24:15

24:15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked ²  against the place where the righteous live;

do not assault ³  his home.

Proverbs 24:17

24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, ⁴ 

and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice,

Proverbs 25:6

25:6 Do not honor yourself before the king,

and do not stand in the place of great men;

Proverbs 30:10

30:10 Do not slander ⁵  a servant to his master,

lest he curse you, and you are found guilty. ⁶ 

[23:10]  ¹ tn Or “encroach on” (NIV, NRSV); Heb “go into.”

[24:15]  ² tn The word “wicked” could be taken as a vocative (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, “O wicked man”); but since the next line refers to the wicked this is unlikely. It serves better as an adverbial accusative (“like the wicked”).

[24:15]  ³ sn The saying warns that it is futile and self-defeating to mistreat God’s people, for they survive – the wicked do not. The warning is against a deliberate, planned assault on their places of dwelling.

[24:17]  ³ sn The saying (vv. 17, 18) warns against gloating over the misfortune of one’s enemies. The prohibition is formed with two negated jussives “do not rejoice” and “let not be glad,” the second qualified by “your heart” as the subject, signifying the inner satisfaction of such a defeat.

[30:10]  ⁴ tn The form תַּלְשֵׁן (talshen) is the Hiphil jussive (with the negative אַל, ’al); it is a denominative verb from the noun “tongue” (Heb “wag the tongue”). It means “to defame; to slander,” if the accusation is untrue. Some have suggested that the word might have the force of “denouncing” a slave to his master, accusing him before authorities (e.g., Deut 23:15-16). This proverb would then be a warning against meddling in the affairs of someone else.

[30:10]  ⁵ tn If what was said were true, then there would be no culpability. But the implication here is that it was slander. And the effect of that will be a curse – the person who is the target of the slander will “curse” the person who slandered him (קָלַל [qalal] in the Piel means “to treat lightly [or, with contempt]; to curse”), and culpability will result (the verb וֹשׁם means “to be guilty; to make a guilt offering [or, reparation offering]”). This word for guilt suggests a connection to the Levitical teaching that the guilty had to make reparation for damages done (Lev 5). Cf. NAB “you will have to pay the penalty”; NIV, NLT “you will pay for it.”