NJB Compared With 1996 NIrV In Proverbs

Okay, let's match the NJB reading with the rendering of the older NIrV edition.

But before that let me give some samples of poor English that the ESV and NKJV are noted for.

I specialize in snips.

5:22A : The wicked is snared in his own misdeeds
12:12 : The godless delights
21:5 A : The hardworking is
21:18 : The wicked is

5:3b
NJB : her palate is more unctuous than oil
NIrV : What she says is smoother than oil

6:24B
NJB : from the wheedling talk of a woman who belongs to another
NIrV : It keeps you from the smooth tongue of a woman who commits adultery

10:21A
NJB : The lips of the upright nourish many peoples
NIrV : The words of those who do right benefit many people

10:24A
NJB : What the wicked fears overtakes him
NIrV : What sinners are afraid of will catch up with them

11:9A
NJB : Through his mouth the godless is the ruin of his neighbor
NIRV : With their words ungodly people destroy their neighbors

11:20A
NJB : Tortuous hearts are abhorrent to Yehweh
NIrV : The Lord hates those whose hearts are twisted

 

14:4
NJB : No oxen empty manger; strong bull, much cash.
[That's Tonto talk]
NIrV : Where there are no oxen, the feed box is empty.
But a strong ox brings in a great harvest.

14:14A
NJB : The miscreant will reap the reward of his conduct.
NIrV : Those who aren't faithful will be paid back for what they've done.

14:20A
NJB : The poor is detestable even to a friend.
[Terrible English]
NIrV : Poor people are avoided even by their neighbors.

15:13A
NJB : Glad heart means happy face.
[Why use Yoda-speak?]
NIRV : A happy heart makes a face look cheerful.

16:32A
NJB : Better an equable person than a hero
NIrV : It is better to be patient than to fight.

19:15B
NJB : the feckless soul will go hungry
NIRV : those who refuse to go to work go hungry

 

21:24B
NJB : overweening pride marks such behaviour
NIrV : They think much too highly of themselves.

22:6A
NJB : Give a lad training suitable to his character
NIrV : Train children in the way they should go.

23:13A
NJB : Do not be chary of correcting a child
NIrV : Don't hold back training from children.

23:28A
NJB : Yes, like a brigand, she lies in wait
NIrV : She hides and waits like a thief.

24:5A
NJB : The wise is mighty in power
[No, no no. The wise are...]

24:19B
NJB : do not be envious of the evil
[It should be clearer. Don't be envious of evil people, or of the wicked.]
NIrV : don't long for what sinners have

24:21B
NJB : do not ally yourselves with innovators
[Huh? That's quite a novel and unclear rendering.]
NIrV : Don't join those who disobey them.

25:19B
NJB : such is the fickle when trusted in times of trouble
[No wonder they have recently revised this translation.]

28:24B
NJB : is comrade for a brigand
NIrV : are just like those who destroy

29:1B
NJB : will be suddenly and irremediably broken
NIrV : will suddenly be destroyed . Nothing can save them.

 

So what do you think. Just cherry picking, or demonstrating that simple is better than complex?

I have other threads in which I have paired up the ESV and NKJV with the NLT, GWT and the NIrV and I believe that the ESV and NKV had inferior renderings when expressing the same idea.