Proverbs 4:18

4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, ¹ 

growing brighter and brighter ²  until full day. ³ 

Proverbs 8:27

8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there;

when he marked out the horizon ⁴  over the face of the deep,

Proverbs 21:29

21:29 A wicked person ⁵  shows boldness with his face, ⁶ 

but as for the upright, ⁷  he discerns ⁸  his ways.

Proverbs 22:18

22:18 For it is pleasing if ⁹  you keep these sayings ¹⁰  within you,

and ¹¹  they are ready on your lips. ¹² 

Proverbs 24:27

24:27 Establish your work outside and get your fields ready;

afterward build ¹³  your house. ¹⁴ 

[4:18]  ¹ tn Heb “like light of brightness.” This construction is an attributive genitive: “bright light.” The word “light” (אוֹר, ’or) refers to the early morning light or the dawn (BDB 21 s.v.). The point of the simile is that the course of life that the righteous follow is like the clear, bright morning light. It is illumined, clear, easy to follow, and healthy and safe – the opposite of what darkness represents.

[4:18]  ² tn The construction uses the Qal active participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) in a metaphorical sense to add the idea of continuance or continually to the participle הוֹלֵךְ (holekh). Here the path was growing light, but the added participle signifies continually.

[4:18]  ³ tn Heb “until the day is established.” This expression refers to the coming of the full day or the time of high noon.

[8:27]  ⁴ sn The infinitive construct בְּחוּקוֹ (bÿkhuqo, “to cut; to engrave; to mark”) and the noun חוּג (khug, “horizon; circle”) form a paronomasia in the line.

[21:29]  ⁷ tn Heb “a wicked man.”

[21:29]  ⁸ tn Heb “he hardens his face.” To make the face firm or hard means to show boldness (BDB 738 s.v. עָזַז Hiph); cf. NRSV “put on a bold face.”

[21:29]  ⁹ tn The “upright” is an independent nominative absolute; the pronoun becomes the formal (emphatic) subject of the verb.

[21:29]  ¹⁰ tc The Kethib is the imperfect of כּוּן (kun), “he establishes.” This reading has the support of the Syriac, Latin, and Tg. Prov 21:29, and is followed by ASV. The Qere is the imperfect tense of בִּין (bin), “he understands; he discerns.” It has the support of the LXX and is followed by NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT. The difficulty is that both make good sense in the passage and both have support. The contrast is between the wicked who shows a bold face (reflecting a hardened heart) and the upright who either gives thought to his ways (or solidifies his ways). The sense of the Qere may form a slightly better contrast, one between the outer appearance of boldness and the inner discernment of action.

[22:18]  ¹⁰ tn Or “when” (so NIV).

[22:18]  ¹¹ tn Heb “keep them,” referring to the words of the wise expressed in these sayings. The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:18]  ¹² tn The term “and” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation.

[22:18]  ¹³ sn If the teachings are preserved in the heart/mind of the disciple, then that individual will always be ready to speak what was retained.

[24:27]  ¹³ tn The perfect tense with vav following the imperatives takes on the force of an imperative here.

[24:27]  ¹⁴ sn If the term “house” is understood literally, the proverb would mean that one should be financially secure before building a house (cf. NLT). If “house” is figurative for household (metonymy of subject: children or family), the proverb would mean that one should have financial security and provision before starting a family. Some English versions suggest the latter meaning by using the word “home” for “house” (e.g., TEV, CEV).