In ancient Israel leaving an inheritance after death was regarded as very important.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children”: “A good man” translates the masculine singular adjective “good,” which New Revised Standard Version renders “the good” and Good News Translation “good people.” “Leaves an inheritance” translates the causative form of the verb “to inherit,” that is, “causes others to inherit.” “Children’s children” does not mean that the good person leaves his property only to his grandchildren but that he leaves it to his descendants, who include at least his children and grandchildren. In some languages this line is expressed as “When a good person dies, his descendants will get many good things that were his.”

“But the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous”: The idea of the righteous ending up with the wealth of the wicked is expressed in Job 27.13-19. “Laid up” renders a verb meaning to reserve or hold in reserve. The word is used in 10.14 regarding the storing up of knowledge. See there for comments.

In languages in which the passive cannot be used here, it is often possible to say, for example, “but the righteous will inherit the wealth that sinners have saved,” “but good people will get the property evil people leave after they die,” or “all the good things bad people have heaped up will go into the hands of good people.”

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 .