12:22 The Lord 1 abhors a person who lies, 2
but those who deal truthfully 3 are his delight. 4
16:13 The delight of kings 5 is righteous counsel, 6
and they love the one who speaks 7 uprightly. 8
1 tn Heb “an abomination of the
2 tn Heb “lips of lying.” The genitive שָׁקֶר (shaqer, “lying”) functions as an attributive genitive: “lying lips.” The term “lips” functions as a synecdoche of part (= lips) for the whole (= person): “a liar.”
3 tn Heb “but doers of truthfulness.” The term “truthfulness” is an objective genitive, meaning: “those who practice truth” or “those who act in good faith.” Their words and works are reliable.
4 sn The contrast between “delight/pleasure” and “abomination” is emphatic. What pleases the
5 tn The MT has the plural, even though the verb “loves” is masculine singular. The ancient versions and two Hebrew
6 tn Heb “lips of righteousness”; cf. NAB, NIV “honest lips.” The genitive “righteousness” functions as an attributive adjective. The term “lips” is a metonymy of cause for what is said: “righteous speech” or “righteous counsel.”
7 tn The MT has the singular participle followed by the plural adjective (which is here a substantive). The editors of BHS wish to follow the ancient versions in making the participle plural, “those who speak uprightly.”
8 sn The verse is talking about righteous kings, of course – they love righteousness and not flattery. In this proverb “righteous” and “upright” referring to what is said means “what is right and straight,” i.e., the truth (cf. NCV).