14:32

The New Revised Standard Version has been used as the source line for 14:32b. It follows the recommended textual option for 14:32b. Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

32a
The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, (Berean Standard Bible)

32b but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity. (New Revised Standard Version)

14:32a

The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin: The Hebrew text is literally “By/In his evil/calamity the wicked one is overthrown.” The preposition can mean either “by” or “in.” The noun can mean either “misfortune/disaster” (as in 13:21a) or “evil/wrongdoing” (as in 11:19b). These different senses have resulted in the following interpretations:

(1) The preposition refers to the agent of the wicked person’s downfall. He is overthrown by his own evil deeds. For example:

Wicked people bring about their own downfall by their evil deeds (Good News Translation)

(2) The preposition refers to the circumstance of the wicked person’s downfall. He is overthrown in a time of disaster. For example:

In times of trouble the wicked are destroyed (Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions.

is thrown down: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is thrown down means to cause someone to be thrown down (figuratively) or ruined.

14:32b

(New Revised Standard Version) but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity: There is a textual difference here:

(1) The LXX and Syriac are probably based on a Hebrew text that had “seeks refuge in/by his integrity.” The meaning is that a righteous person seeks refuge (from destruction) in his consistently upright conduct. For example:

but in integrity the upright will find refuge (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
but good people are protected by their integrity (Good News Translation)

(2) The Masoretic Text (MT) has “seeks refuge in/by his death.” The meaning is that a righteous person seeks refuge (in the LORD) when he dies. For example:

but even in death the righteous have a refuge (New International Version)
-or-
the righteous man finds security in his death (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). However, both options are well supported by versions and scholars. If you use footnotes for textual options, it is recommended that you provide a footnote giving option (2).

Some of the reasons against following option (2) are:

(a) The natural meaning of the MT is that a righteous person seeks refuge in dying. But nowhere else in Proverbs is death viewed as a refuge to be sought after. Nor is it a theme in Proverbs that a person seeks refuge in God when he dies. By contrast, the theme that righteousness delivers a person from death is found in 10:2 and 11:4.

(b) The verb “seeks refuge” occurs 37 times in the OT. In its other occurrences, the object or basis of the refuge/confidence is always explicit. Here the LORD is not explicit.

(New Revised Standard Version) find a refuge in their integrity: The Berean Standard Bible translates the same Hebrew word that the New Revised Standard Version translates as find a refuge here as “a place of refuge” in 14:26b. (See the note there.) Literally it refers to a place of shelter and protection. Here it is used figuratively. It means that a person relies on his integrity to protect him from the destruction that overtakes the wicked.

(New Revised Standard Version) integrity: The word that the New Revised Standard Version translates here as integrity refers to blameless, consistently good conduct. See the note on 13:6a.

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