Proverbs 24:11

Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. ¹ 

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter.

Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back.

Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die.

Rescue the perishing; don't hesitate to step in and help.

Be the saviour of those who are given up to death, and do not keep back help from those who are slipping to destruction.

if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death, those who go staggering to the slaughter;

Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.

Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. ¹ 

¹ tn The idea of “slipping” (participle from מוֹט, mot) has troubled some commentators. G. R. Driver emends it to read “at the point of” (“Problems in Proverbs,” ZAW 50 [1932]: 146). But the MT as it stands makes good sense. The reference would be general, viz., to help any who are in mortal danger or who might be tottering on the edge of such disaster – whether through sin, or through disease, war, or danger. Several English versions (e.g., NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this term as “staggering.”

sn God holds people responsible for rescuing those who are in mortal danger. The use of “death” and “slaughter” seems rather strong in the passage, but they have been used before in the book for the destruction that comes through evil.