"They shall not be ashamed in the evil time" (Ps. 37:19)—The verb which is here translated "ashamed" can also mean "be confounded or disappointed," renderings which are preferred by some scholars in view of the fact that they appear to be more suited to the context. Moffatt renders the passage positively, in the words: "In a calamity they keep their share;" though Smith's rendering corresponds more nearly to that of the Authorized Version: "They shall not be put to shame in bad times."

"Vanity of vanities" (Eccl. 1:2)—The Hebrew word "chebel," which is here translated "vanity," means literally "vapour or breath," and then, figuratively, what is "evanescent, insubstantial, worthless" (Brown, Driver, and Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, p. 210). The repetition of the term in the phrase "vanity of vanities," gives, in Hebrew idiom, a superlative sense.

"All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it" (Eccl. 1:8)—The word here translated "things" is "debarim," a term which is employed in Hebrew in a very wide variety of senses. In the singular, its primary meaning is "speech or word," while, in addition, it often denotes "story, matter, affair, business; case or cause" (see Brown, etc., op. cit., pp. 182–4). Then, too, the term which is translated "full of labour" means more exactly "weary" (Barton: Commentary on Ecclesiastes, p. 74; Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 388). Moffatt suggests the rendering: "All things are aweary, weary beyond words;" while Smith's translation is: "All things are wearisome; one cannot recount them;" and the American Standard Version has: "All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it."

"All is vanity and vexation of spirit" (Eccl. 1:14)—The Hebrew word translated "vanity" is the same one found in verse two of this chapter; while the term translated "spirit" can also mean "wind." Consequently a literal rendering would be, "all was vapour and pursuit of wind" (Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 210; compare also the Revised Version). The Septuagint has: "... vanity and waywardness of 'pneuma'" (a Greek word meaning either "spirit" or "wind"); while Moffatt suggests: "It is a vain, futile affair." The Margin of the Revised Version has: "... vanity and a feeding on wind;" and the American Standard Version: "vanity and a striving after wind."

"Eat not thou the bread of him that hath an evil eye" (Prov. 23:6)—While this appears to be a literal translation of the Hebrew as we now have it, Smith suggests: "Dine not with a miserly man;" and Moffatt has "Never dine with a niggardly man."

"Neither is there any rock like our God" (I Sam. 2:2)—Those who prepared the Septuagint and Old Latin Versions of the Old Testament, read a Hebrew word meaning "righteous" instead of that which the Authorized Version translates as "rock"; and, evidently following this suggestion, Smith gives the rendering: "There is none righteous like our God." Moffatt, while he accepts the reading "tsur" (literally "rock") clearly takes the word as symbolic of "power" and "steadfastness" for he translates: "No Power is steadfast like our God."

"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have" (James 4:2)—The Greek verb rendered "lust" is literally "to set one's heart upon, long for, covet" (cf. Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 238); while that translated "kill" (Greek: "phoneuete") means more exactly "to do murder"; but some scholars suppose that originally the word was written "phthoneite," in which case it would mean "envy" (Erasmus, Moffatt, and the Margin of the Authorized Version). Then the term rendered "desire to have" means literally "to burn with zeal, envy, hatred, or anger" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 271). Weymouth (Fifth Edition) has: "You covet things and cannot get them; you commit murder; you are envious and cannot gain your end." Moffatt suggests: "You crave, and miss what you want: you envy and covet, but you cannot acquire." Goodspeed, altering the punctuation, reads: "You crave things, and cannot have them, and so you commit murder. You covet things, and cannot get them, and so you quarrel and fight."

"Ye double minded" (James 4:8)—This is a literal rendering of the Greek, but various other translations have been suggested, such as "wavering, uncertain, doubtful, divided in interest" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 153). Good-speed renders: "you doubters." The Twentieth Century New Testament has: "you vacillating men." Moffatt and Weymouth, however, retain the rendering "double-minded."

"We then, as workers together with him, beseech you" (II Cor. 6:1)—While the words "with him" are not expressed in the original Greek, there seems to be little doubt in the minds of translators that the reference is indeed to co-operation with God, as the context would seem to suggest. Some suppose that the plural "we" is rhetorical, and that Paul is here speaking on his own behalf, and not as a representative of a group. Thus Good-speed renders verse one as follows: "As God's fellow-worker, I appeal to you, too, not to accept the favor of God and then waste it;" and Moffatt interprets: "I appeal to you too, as a worker with God, do not receive the grace of God in vain."

"In necessities, in distresses" (II Cor. 6:4)—The Greek word "anagkais" can mean either "necessities," or "calamities, distresses" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 36), while the word which is translated "distresses" in the Authorized Version means literally "narrowness of space" (compare our phrase, "straitened circumstances"), hence "dire calamities," or "extreme afflictions" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 587). Goodspeed renders: "difficulties, hardships"; and Weymouth: "distresses, anguish"; while Moffatt has: "by troubles, by calamities."