This saying admits that sometimes the wicked overcome the righteous.

“Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain”: For “spring” see 5.16, and for “fountain” see 5.18. “A spring” becomes “muddied” for many reasons, and like the “polluted fountain” the water cannot be used for drinking. In this sense they do not serve their intended function. “Polluted” translates a word meaning to “spoil” or “ruin.” The reference is to a well that has fallen into disuse and whose water is undrinkable.

“Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked”: “A righteous man”, as in 9.9, is “a good person.” “Gives way” has the sense of “is overcome by” or “is pushed aside by.” Bible en français courant says “who allows himself to be influenced by.” For “the wicked” refer to 2.22. The point of comparison in this verse as a whole is that what is good and clean is polluted or spoiled by something bad getting into it. See Good News Translation for a model translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .