Proverbs 3:34

Although ¹  he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, ²  yet ³  he shows favor to the humble. ⁴ 

He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.

Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

The LORD mocks at mockers, but he shows favor to the humble.

He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder, but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help.

He makes sport of the men of pride, but he gives grace to the gentle-hearted.

Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he shows favor.

Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

Although ¹  he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, ²  yet ³  he shows favor to the humble. ⁴ 

¹ tn The particle אִם (’im, “though”) introduces a concessive clause: “though….”

² tn Heb “he mocks those who mock.” The repetition of the root לִיץ (lits, “to scorn; to mock”) connotes poetic justice; the punishment fits the crime. Scoffers are characterized by arrogant pride (e.g., Prov 21:24), as the antithetical parallelism with “the humble” here emphasizes.

³ tn The prefixed vav (ו) introduces the apodosis to the concessive clause: “Though … yet …”

⁴ tn The Hebrew is structured chiastically (AB:BA): “he scorns / arrogant scoffers // but to the humble / he gives grace.” The word order in the translation is reversed for the sake of smoothness and readability.