11:30
As translated by versions such as the Berean Standard Bible, the second line adds to the thought of the first line. It is implied that a righteous person wins souls and is wise.
30a The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
30b and he who wins souls is wise.
As translated by versions such as the New Revised Standard Version, the parallel parts contrast in meaning:
30a The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
30b but violence takes lives away. (New Revised Standard Version)
These differences are due to a difference in the text and related differences in interpretation. These will be discussed in the notes on 11:30b.
11:30a
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: This line is a complex metaphor. The first phrase, The fruit of the righteous, is a figurative expression. It refers to the good results of a righteous person’s life. These good results are compared to a tree whose fruit gives life.
In some languages, a literal translation of this metaphor may be hard to understand. Some other ways to translate it are:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
The godly are like trees that give life-giving fruit. (New Living Translation (1996))
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
What a righteous person does is a source of life to others.
Because tree of life is a metaphor that is used elsewhere, you are encouraged to keep the figure of speech if possible. The phrase tree of life also occurs in 3:18a. See how you translated this phrase there.
11:30b
and he who wins souls is wise: There is a textual issue regarding the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wise. There are also different ways to interpret the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wins souls. In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “takes souls.” The textual and interpretation issues are closely related, so they will be discussed together. The main interpretations are:
(1) The LXX and the Syriac follow a Hebrew text that apparently had ḥamas “violent” or “violence.” The phrase “takes souls” means to take away lives, in other words, to kill people. Since killing people is not wise, versions that follow this interpretation also follow the text that reads “violence/violent.” For example:
but violence results in the taking of life (Revised English Bible)
-or-
but violence takes lives away (New Revised Standard Version)
(2) The Masoretic Text has ḥakam “wise” or “a wise person.” The phrase “takes souls” means to influence people. Since it is wise to influence people, versions that follow this interpretation also follow the text that reads “wise.” For example:
the wise person teaches others how to live (New Century Version)
-or-
and whoever captures souls is wise (English Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) for the following reasons:
(a) The verb “take” has many different meanings. But when it occurs with the word souls, it is never used in a good sense. In the other six occurrences of this expression, it always means “take a life” or “take lives” in the sense of “kill.” (See 1:19, the only other occurrence in Proverbs.)
(b) According to several scholars, 2 Samuel 15:6 and Proverbs 6:25 both describe a person who uses influential ideas to “capture” someone else. But neither verse uses the same Hebrew phrase that occurs in the expression “take souls.” Nor does either verse describe a morally good action.
(c) The idea of “winning souls” in the sense of evangelism does not occur elsewhere in the OT.
However, since both interpretations are well supported by versions and scholars, it is recommended that you put interpretation (2) in a footnote. A suggested footnote is:
This is what it says in the LXX and Syriac. What it says in the Hebrew (Masoretic Text) is: “the one who ‘takes lives’ is wise.” Some scholars think that ‘takes lives’ means “persuades people” or “saves lives.”
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