22:8
This proverb uses two metaphors to teach that people who treat others unjustly will suffer bad consequences themselves. The first metaphor is about agriculture (sowing and reaping). The second metaphor is about physical punishment (striking with a rod).
8a
He who sows injustice will reap disaster,
8b and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
Each parallel line describes a consequence of wicked behavior. The parallel parts in the second line are more specific than the similar parts in the first line.
22:8a
He who sows injustice will reap disaster: This is a metaphor. It compares a person who treats others wrongly to a person who plants seeds and then harvests the crop. A person who plants seeds of wickedness or injustice will harvest a crop of disaster.
injustice: In Hebrew, this word refers to treating other people wrongly, unfairly, or unjustly. It includes legal injustice, such as bribery. It also includes treating other people unfairly in business dealings or oppressing them in other ways.
disaster: In Hebrew, this word usually refers to evil behavior. Here, it refers to the results of such behavior—trouble, misfortune, or disaster. See how you translated the same word in 12:21b.
Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble (God’s Word)
-or-
If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up (Good News Translation)
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
The person who treats someone else unfairly is like someone who plants seeds. Later he will harvest the crop, and that crop is trouble.
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Those who plan evil will receive trouble (New Century Version)
22:8b
and the rod of his fury will be destroyed: This is a metaphor. It describes a person who angrily uses his power to oppress or mistreat someone else. It compares him to a person who strikes someone in anger with a rod. As a result, his power will be destroyed. He will no longer be able to oppress others.
the rod of his fury: This phrase means “the rod/cane that he uses to strike someone because of his intense anger.” It could refer to literally hitting someone with a rod. However, the rod is probably a symbol of power and authority. The person uses this power to cause hardship to other people.
will be destroyed: In Hebrew, this verb is literally “will fail,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. In this context, it indicates that the wicked person will stop mistreating others. This may be because he dies or is killed or because his power to abuse others is taken away.
Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
the rod with which he strikes others will be destroyed
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
His power to hurt others in anger is like a rod that will be broken.
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
their cruel anger will come to an end (New Century Version)
-or-
your oppression of others will end (Good News Translation)
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