Proverbs 18:3

When a wicked person ¹  arrives, contempt ²  shows up with him, and with shame comes ³  a reproach.

When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace.

When a wicked man comes, contempt also comes, And with dishonor comes scorn.

When the wicked arrive, contempt, shame, and disgrace are sure to follow.

When wickedness arrives, shame's not far behind; contempt for life is contemptible.

When the evil-doer comes, a low opinion comes with him, and with the loss of honour comes shame.

When wickedness comes, contempt comes also; and with dishonor comes disgrace.

When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach.

When a wicked person ¹  arrives, contempt ²  shows up with him, and with shame comes ³  a reproach.

¹ tc The MT has “a wicked [person].” Many commentators emend the text to רֶשַׁע (resha’, “wickedness”) which makes better parallelism with “shame” (W. McKane, Proverbs [OTL], 521; R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [AB], 112; C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 355; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). However, there is no external evidence for this emendation.

² sn “Contempt” (בּוּז, buz) accompanies the wicked; “reproach” (חֶרְפָּה, kherpah) goes with shame. This reproach refers to the critical rebukes and taunts of the community against a wicked person.

³ tn The term “comes” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.