Proverbs 19:29

Judgments ¹  are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.

Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools.

Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And blows for the back of fools.

Mockers will be punished, and the backs of fools will be beaten.

The irreverent have to learn reverence the hard way; only a slap in the face brings fools to attention.

Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.

Condemnation is ready for scoffers, and flogging for the backs of fools.

Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.

Judgments ¹  are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.

¹ tc Some (cf. NAB) suggest emending the MT’s “judgments” (from שָׁפַט, shafat) to “rods” (from שָׁבַט, shavat); however, this is not necessary if the term in the MT is interpreted figuratively. The LXX “scourges” might reflect a different Vorlage, but it also could have been an interpretive translation from the same text. “Judgments” is a metonymy of cause and refers to the punishment that the scoffer is to receive.