11:5

This proverb uses the metaphor of a path to contrast the lives of blameless and wicked people. Blameless people walk on a path that is free from obstacles. Wicked people follow a path that causes them to stumble and fall. Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

5a The righteousness of the blameless directs their path,

5b but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

11:5a

The righteousness of the blameless directs their path: This clause refers to a person with integrity who does what is right. His good conduct makes the course of his life straight and smooth and free of obstacles.

righteousness: This is the same word that occurs in 11:4b.

blameless: In Hebrew, this word is a different form of the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “integrity” in 11:3a. In this context, both words refer to a person who is blameless, perfect, and has integrity. Such a person has a good character that is not spoiled by evil character traits.

directs their path: This metaphor has the same meaning as the almost identical metaphor (“make your paths straight”) in 3:6b. See the note there. Both metaphors describe the way that people prepare a highway. They make it straight and level/smooth and remove the obstacles so that a traveler will more easily reach his destination.

In some languages, it may not be natural to say that a character trait (“righteousness”) can straighten a person’s pathway. Some ways to translate this personification are:

• Refer to a blameless and righteous person rather than righteousness. For example:

If a person is blameless and righteous, his pathway in life will be straight/smooth
-or-
If a person wholeheartedly does what is right, the path that he follows will be easy to walk on

• Make the LORD the explicit subject of “makes a straight way.” For example:

⌊The LORD⌋ causes the path of a truly righteous person to be straight/smooth

11:5b

but the wicked fall by their own wickedness: In this context, the Hebrew verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as fall figuratively describes what happens to wicked people. It is as if they stumble over their own wickedness and fall as they walk along. This metaphor means that they experience disaster as a result of their own wicked deeds.

Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Use the metaphor of stumbling and falling. For example:

but the bad things that wicked people do cause them to trip and fall

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning explicit. For example:

but as for wicked people, ⌊it’s as if⌋ they will stumble and fall. ⌊They will have severe trouble⌋ because of their sins.

• If a metaphor or simile is not clear or natural, translate the meaning directly. For example:

but the wicked will be destroyed by their wickedness (New Century Version)

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