Proverbs 20:6
ContextNETBible | Many people profess their loyalty, 1 but a faithful person 2 – who can find? 3 |
XREF | Ps 12:1; Pr 25:14; Pr 27:2; Ec 7:28; Jer 5:1; Mic 7:2; Mt 6:2; Lu 18:8,11,28; Lu 18:8; Lu 22:33; Joh 1:47; 2Co 12:11 |
NET © Notes |
1 tn Heb “many a man calls/proclaims a man of his loyal love.” The Syriac and Tg. Prov 20:6 render the verb as passive: “many are called kind.” Other suggestions include: “most men meet people who will do them occasional kindnesses” (RSV); “many men profess friendship” (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 384); “many men invite only the one who has shown them kindness.” The simplest interpretation in this context is “many proclaim [themselves to be] a kind person (= a loyal friend).” The contrast is between many who claim to be loyal friends and the one who actually proves to be faithful. 2 tn The shift to the expression “a man of faithfulness[es]” in the second line indicates that of all those who claim to show faithful love, it is rare to find one who is truly reliable (as the word אֱמוּנִים [’emunim] indicates clearly); cf. NAB, NRSV “one worthy of trust.” 3 sn The point of the rhetorical question is that a truly faithful friend is very difficult to find. |