This saying seems like an encouragement to those who are suffering oppression. The second line is partly parallel to the first and adds to its meaning.

“He who sows injustice will reap calamity”: “Injustice” is doing what is morally wrong or bad. The term rendered “calamity” is the same as that rendered “ill” in 12.21. See the comments there. This line is figurative language based on the agricultural terms “sow” and “reap”. Most English versions keep the agricultural image, and translators in many other languages will be able to do the same; for example, “The person who plants injustice like someone plants a crop, the thing he will see from it is trouble.” If it is not possible to talk about sowing “injustice” and harvesting “calamity”, then we can say something like “If a person does what is wrong and harms others, big trouble will come to him” or “Troublemakers get in trouble” (Contemporary English Version).

“And the rod of his fury will fail”: There is some uncertainty about the Hebrew text of this line, and a few versions give a different translation based on the Septuagint. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text as we have it (“B” rating). The expression “rod of his fury” is taken by most commentators to refer to “the tyranny of bad and powerful men” (Toy) or “oppression of others” (Good News Translation). It is possible, however, that “his fury” may refer to the anger or punishment that the evildoer receives, rather than the anger he expresses against others. So Revised English Bible translates “the rod of God’s wrath.” “Will fail” is better expressed as “will end” (Good News Translation), “will disappear” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “will be destroyed” (New International Version). In some languages the sense of this line is expressed as “he won’t be able to hurt others any more.”

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 .