17:8 Upright men are appalled 1 at this;
the innocent man is troubled 2 with the godless.
17:9 But the righteous man holds to his way,
and the one with clean hands grows stronger. 3
1 tn This verb שָׁמַם (shamam, “appalled”) is the one found in Isa 52:14, translated there “astonished.”
2 tn The verb means “to rouse oneself to excitement.” It naturally means “to be agitated; to be stirred up.”
3 tn The last two words are the imperfect verb יֹסִיף (yosif) which means “he adds,” and the abstract noun “energy, strength.” This noun is not found elsewhere; its Piel verb occurs in Job 4:4 and 16:5. “he increases strength.”