“For their Redeemer is strong”: “Their Redeemer” is “their goʾel” in Hebrew, where the goʾel was the close relative who had a responsibility to avenge the death of a person or come to the rescue of that person if he fell on hard times. New International Version translates this term as “their Defender,” and Scott as “their Champion”; Revised English Bible says “they have a powerful Guardian.” The reference is to God, who is “strong” or “powerful”; and this should be made clear in translation if readers will not understand that from the use of the title. Contemporary English Version, for example, says “God All-Powerful is there to defend them,” while Good News Translation has “the Lord is their powerful defender.” In a typical Pacific translation this line is “The Lord is like a relative who has the responsibility of helping them, and he is very strong.”

“He will plead their cause against you”: For “plead their cause” see 22.23. This is similar in meaning to “their Redeemer” in the first line. “Against you” gives the sense that God will be the opponent in court of those who rob people who are defenseless. This is expressed in one translation as “He will stand up in court on their side to speak against you.”

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 .