“He who winks the eye causes trouble”: “Winks the eye” is used in 6.13. See there for comments. If the sense of this gesture is as suggested in 6.13, then it is deceitful actions that lead to trouble. This seems to be born out by the second line as translated by Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. “Trouble”, which is a noun related to the verb “to hurt” or “to pain,” may refer to grief or sorrow, that is, mental pain or suffering.

“But he who boldly reproves makes peace”: According to the Revised Standard Version footnote, this line is taken from the Septuagint. The Hebrew text is identical to the second line of verse 8. Modern translations are divided between those that follow the Septuagint and those that follow the Hebrew. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text and says that the variant followed by Revised Standard Version “is a wholly uncertain retranslation of the Septuagint into Hebrew.”

It seems that the reason why Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation follow the Septuagint is that the Hebrew of this line makes no contrast with the first line. Translators may do likewise; if you use footnotes, however, it is recommended that you add a note similar to that of Good News Translation.

If “winks the eye” does not clearly suggest deceitful behavior in your language, it will be necessary to use an expression that has this sense. Good News Translation is one model translation that avoids a metaphor. Another is Bible en français courant: “Whoever hides the truth from others causes them to suffer; whoever answers them with frankness brings them peace.”

We may also say, for example, “If you conceal the truth from someone you will cause them pain, but if you tell the truth you will set their mind at ease.”

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 .