“Lest the Lord see it, and be displeased”: New Revised Standard Version replaces the old English word “lest” with “or else. . ..” The Hebrew word introduces the bad result that will come if the warning of the previous verse is ignored. “The Lord will see it” expresses a similar idea to that in verse 12, that is, that the Lord will take note of the bad behavior and act upon it. He will “be displeased” is literally “it is evil in his eyes,” which means “he will not like it” (Good News Translation).

“And turn away his anger from him”: The subject of this clause is “the Lord” in the previous line. To “turn away his anger” means that he will “stop being angry” or “not punish as he intended to.” “From him” refers back to “your enemy” in verse 17.

An example of the way this whole verse is translated in a Pacific language is “If you are glad like that, the Lord will know, and he won’t be pleased at all with your behavior; and perhaps he will not punish that enemy of yours.”

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 .