If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness: These two lines have the form of a proverb because they are very short in Hebrew. The first line is a condition, and the second line is the result. The Hebrew verb rendered favor is shown means “to be gracious,” “to treat favorably,” or “to show mercy.” For some versions the verb in this context means to leave the evil ways of the wicked unpunished. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh expresses this by rendering the first line as “But when the scoundrel is spared” (similarly New American Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). New International Version has “Though grace is shown to the wicked,” and New Jerusalem Bible says “If pity is shown to the wicked” (similarly Bible en français courant). New English Bible and Revised English Bible emend the Hebrew text to read “The wicked are destroyed,” but we do not recommend this. If the passive verb is shown needs to be an active one in some languages, an alternative for this line is “If a person shows favor to the wicked.” It should remain a general statement since this is a proverb. Good News Translation makes it too specific by identifying the agent as Yahweh, saying “Even you [Yahweh] are kind to the wicked” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The wicked is singular in the Hebrew, but it is a collective noun. It may be rendered as a plural, for example, “the wicked people.” If this is done, the pronouns referring back to them should be plural, as in Good News Translation with the pronoun “they.” Using the plural here fits well with the plural pronouns in the next verse.

He does not learn righteousness is the result if favored treatment is given to the wicked. Treating them as though they have done nothing wrong and rewarding them results in their failure to learn the right way of life. As the remainder of the verse says, they simply continue to do evil. Not renders the unusual Hebrew particle bal, both here and in the last line; see the comments on it in the introduction to verses 7-19. For learn righteousness, see the previous verse.

In the land of uprightness he deals perversely: In the land of uprightness refers to a land where people live according to God’s laws. Good News Translation expresses it clearly with “in a land of righteous people,” but it should not add “here” at the beginning of this phrase since this limits it to the land of Judah. Any righteous place is in view here. Revised English Bible has “in a land of honest ways.” Even if a wicked person lives in such a place, he deals perversely. The imperfect form of the Hebrew verb here suggests that he does this continually. He deals perversely is an archaic expression in English. More contemporary renderings are “they go on doing evil” (New International Version), “they still do wrong” (Good News Translation), and “they are corrupt” (similarly Revised English Bible).

And does not see the majesty of the LORD: The Hebrew word translated majesty comes from the same root as the word for “pride” in 25.11. In the present context it has a positive sense, so it may be rendered “glory” (Contemporary English Version), “greatness” (Good News Translation), or “exaltation.” For this whole line Revised English Bible has “they are blind to the majesty of the LORD” (similarly Contemporary English Version), and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “they do not see you in your greatness” (similarly Good News Translation). Both Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch refer to the LORD in the second person here since he is being addressed in this subsection. Other languages may do this also for naturalness.

Suggested translations for this verse are:

• If one treats wicked people favorably,
they do not learn what righteousness/justice is;
in the land where people are honest they continue to act unjustly
and will never acknowledge Yahweh’s greatness.

• If the wicked are shown special favor,
they will never learn to act justly;
in a land where people are honest,
they continue their evil ways
and fail to recognize Yahweh’s majesty.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .