“For the perverse man is an abomination to the Lord“: “Perverse”, a word found mostly in wisdom literature, is based on a verb meaning to turn aside or depart. The form it has here takes on the meaning of devious, deceitful, or dishonest. “Man” is supplied by Revised Standard Version; New Revised Standard Version says simply “the perverse” “An abomination” is the noun form related to a verb meaning to be hated, abhorred, or corrupt. It is often used of something that is physically revolting or repulsive to the senses. In translation it may be more natural to say, for example, “The Lord hates a deceitful person” or “A lying person makes the Lord disgusted.”

“But the upright are in his confidence”: “Upright” refers to straightness of character in the sense of honesty and integrity in relations with others. See 2.7. “The upright” are those who are contrasted with the deceitful. The word rendered “confidence” means intimacy or friendly relations. It is used in Job 19.19 “all my intimate friends.” It is also used in Job 29.4 “when the friendship of God was upon my tent.” Bible en français courant says “but he gives his friendship to honest people.” We may also say, for example, “but he befriends those who are upright,” and sometimes idiomatically “but he is the friend of all who have good hearts” or “he trusts straight people and tells his thoughts to them.”

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 .