19:8 The Lord’s precepts are fair 1
and make one joyful. 2
The Lord’s commands 3 are pure 4
and give insight for life. 5
24:4 The one whose deeds are blameless
and whose motives are pure, 6
who does not lie, 7
or make promises with no intention of keeping them. 8
1 tn Or “just.” Perhaps the idea is that they impart a knowledge of what is just and right.
2 tn Heb “[they] make happy [the] heart.” Perhaps the point is that they bring a sense of joyful satisfaction to the one who knows and keeps them, for those who obey God’s law are richly rewarded. See v. 11b.
3 tn Heb “command.” The singular here refers to the law as a whole.
4 tn Because they reflect God’s character, his commands provide a code of moral and ethical purity.
5 tn Heb [they] enlighten [the] eyes.
6 tn Heb “the innocent of hands and the pure of heart.” The “hands” allude to one’s actions, the “heart” to one’s thought life and motives.
7 tn Heb “who does not lift up for emptiness my life.” The first person pronoun on נַפְשִׁי (nafshiy, “my life”) makes little sense here; many medieval Hebrew
8 tn Heb “and does not swear an oath deceitfully.”