“Trust in a faithless man in a time of trouble”: As in verse 18, the Hebrew clause order has been reversed by Revised Standard Version. For “Trust” see 3.5. “A faithless man” is literally “a traitor” (see 13.15). “A time of trouble” is literally “day of trouble.” It is rendered “day of adversity” in 24.10. This line may be expressed, for example, “To rely on a treacherous [deceiving] person in times of trouble. . ..”

“Is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips”: The Hebrew expression rendered “a bad tooth” is literally “a crumbling tooth” and this is given a “B” rating by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. This is probably to be taken as “a decaying tooth,” one that is rotten and falling apart. The Hebrew text of “a foot that slips” is literally “an unsteady foot” and is given an “A” rating by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. This gives the same sense as in Revised Standard Version. Note that Good News Translation makes the comparison functional with “like trying to chew with a loose tooth or walk with a crippled foot.” Another translation that makes the comparison clear is Bible en français courant: “To place confidence in a disloyal person in time of trouble is as unwise as eating with a lose tooth or leaning on an unsteady foot.”

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 .