Proverbs 23:5

23:5 When you gaze upon riches, ¹  they are gone,

for they surely make wings for themselves,

and fly off into the sky like an eagle! ² 

Zephaniah 1:18

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them

in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

The whole earth ³  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. ⁴ 

Indeed, ⁵  he will bring terrifying destruction ⁶  on all who live on the earth.” ⁷ 

Zephaniah 1:1

Introduction

1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to ⁸  Zephaniah son of Cushi, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. Zephaniah delivered this message during the reign of ⁹  King Josiah son of Amon of Judah:

Zephaniah 1:17-18

1:17 I will bring distress on the people ¹⁰ 

and they will stumble ¹¹  like blind men,

for they have sinned against the Lord.

Their blood will be poured out like dirt;

their flesh ¹²  will be scattered ¹³  like manure.

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them

in the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

The whole earth ¹⁴  will be consumed by his fiery wrath. ¹⁵ 

Indeed, ¹⁶  he will bring terrifying destruction ¹⁷  on all who live on the earth.” ¹⁸ 

[23:5]  ¹ 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.

[23:5]  ² 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.

[1:18]  ³ tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

[1:18]  ⁵ tn Or “for.”

[1:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

[1:18]  ⁷ tn It is not certain where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s words begin. It is possible that Zephaniah begins speaking in the middle of v. 17 or at the beginning of v. 18 (note the third person pronouns referring to the Lord).

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “The word of the Lord which came to.”

[1:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the days of.” The words “Zephaniah delivered this message” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:17]  ¹⁰ tn “The people” refers to mankind in general (see vv. 2-3) or more specifically to the residents of Judah (see vv. 4-13).

[1:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “walk.”

[1:17]  ¹² tn Some take the referent of “flesh” to be more specific here; cf. NEB (“bowels”), NAB (“brains”), NIV (“entrails”).

[1:17]  ¹³ tn The words “will be scattered” are supplied in the translation for clarity based on the parallelism with “will be poured out” in the previous line.

[1:18]  ¹⁴ tn Or “land” (cf. NEB). This same word also occurs at the end of the present verse.

[1:18]  ¹⁵ tn Or “passion”; traditionally, “jealousy.”

[1:18]  ¹⁶ tn Or “for.”

[1:18]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “complete destruction, even terror, he will make.”

[1:18]  ¹⁸ tn It is not certain where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s words begin. It is possible that Zephaniah begins speaking in the middle of v. 17 or at the beginning of v. 18 (note the third person pronouns referring to the Lord).