(18.) =Good= it is =that= (full relative, referring to both the following clauses) =thou layest hold of this, and, moreover, from that do not withhold with respect to thine hand= (the root ינח occurs chapters ii. 18, x. 4, xi. 6; see also Genesis ii. 15, xix. 16, etc.――the precise meaning being, in all these cases, ‘to lay up.’ The LXX. translate this word by μιαίνῃς, ‘defile;’ and hence consider the word to refer to the second clause of the verse above; but it may be doubted, as Schleusner points out, whether the rendering of the LXX. is not a misreading of Symmachus’ μὴ ἀνῇς, which was successively altered to μίανῃς and μὴ μίανῃς, so that with this before us we may well reject their reading as not entitled to disturb our confidence in the Hebrew text; observing also that it is את ידך, _i.e._ do not rest, or do not lay it up, _with respect to_ thy hand; the conclusion is, do not touch either the wickedness or the false prudence. The rendering of the Authorized Version is ambiguous; it is not clear what the second ‘this’ refers to, but evidently admits of the meaning above. The whole drift then of the aphorism is, ‘lay hold of right notwithstanding, and have nothing to do with wickedness’). =For= he who =fears God goes out of= (or ‘gets free from,’ as את follows) =with respect to all of them= (_i.e._ the whole four difficulties here mentioned; he will neither be over-expectant of an immediate result from his righteousness, nor of his prudence; on the other hand, he will not be either impious, or an elaborate fool). 19 Wisdom strengtheneth │ This wisdom is a better the wise more than ten mighty │ defence to the wise than ten _men_ which are in the city. │ powerful men within a fortress. (19.) =The wisdom= (wisdom generically) =strengthens= (a play between ‎‏תאחז above and תעז here) =to the wise more than ten= persons who =have been invested with power who are= (emphatic) =in a city.= Powerful men in a city are hard to overcome, or get at; ten, the indefinite number, gives the idea of ‘ever so many.’ 20 For _there is_ not a just │ However, there is no single man upon earth, that doeth │ man on earth so right that he good, and sinneth not. │ always does good, and never │ makes a wicked mistake. (20.) =For a man= (a man, as a specimen of the race, which we have already seen is the meaning of this word standing alone without the article) =there is not= (for we have in this case אין, and not לא; thus the meaning is, ‘there is not a single man’) =made right in the earth who does good and does not sin= (_i.e._ ‘make wicked mistakes:’ hence, as no man is perfectly right, it would be unreasonable to expect a perfect result; thus the relevancy of verse 17 is apparent. If our right acts do not always succeed, it is but just, considering the many sins we all commit).