PROV 10:16 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

10:16

This proverb contrasts the different consequences of a righteous and wicked lifestyle. The underlined parallel parts are similar in meaning.

^16a The labor of the righteous leads to life,

^16bbut the gain of the wicked brings punishment.

10:16a

The labor of the righteous leads to life,

A righteous person receives/gains life as his reward,
If a person does what is right, his reward will be life.

The labor of the righteous leads to life: The word that the BSB translated as labor is more literally “wages.” There are two ways to interpret this word:

The word “wages” is used figuratively here. It refers to the reward that righteous people receive from living in a righteous way. This reward is life. For example:
A righteous person’s reward is life. (GW)
The reward which the righteous receive is life (NET) (BSB, CEV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NJB, REB, GNT)
The word “wages” is used literally here. It refers to literal earnings from employment. Righteous people use their earnings in a way that brings them a better and longer life. For example:
The earnings of the godly enhance their lives (NLT) (ESV, NIV, NLT, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. Of the thirteen other verses where this Hebrew noun occurs, it refers nine times to figurative wages. It refers only once to literal wages.NIDOTTE (H7188) lists thirteen other references where this noun occurs. The reference to literal wages is Leviticus 19:13. There are three references where the word means “works, deeds” and nine references to reward, benefit, or punishment. Scholars who support the figurative interpretation here include Waltke, Whybray, Ross, McKane, and Garrett. Scholars who support the literal interpretation include UBS, Longman, Hubbard, Delitzsch, and Toy. In addition, BDB (#6468) lists this verse under the sense “wages (as earned by work).” HALOT (#7661) is similar. The idea that righteous people use their wages in order to gain a better life is not found elsewhere in Proverbs. The idea that righteous conduct results in a better life is found frequently.Hubbard (pages 291–299) discusses verses in Proverbs that deal with the theme “handling wealth.” People may use their wealth to help the poor, make friends, make their lives secure, or leave an inheritance to their children. However, no proverbs speak about a righteous person using his “wages” to obtain life.

If it is necessary in your language to make explicit the one who gives righteous people their reward, you may specify “the LORD.” He is the ultimate source of life.Waltke (page 464). For example:

The LORD will reward a righteous person with life

leads to life: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “to life.” With interpretation (1), the word life may imply a long, prosperous life, or it may refer to eternal life. It is recommended that you translate in such a way that your readers can understand either meaning.

10:16b

but the gain of the wicked brings punishment.

but a person who does what is evil receives punishment.
But if a person is evil, he will keep sinning, and as a result, he will be punished with death.

but the gain of the wicked: The word that the BSB translates here as gain is an agricultural word that often refers literally to crops or a harvest. It can also refer to literal income (money). Here, it has a similar meaning to the parallel word the BSB translates as “labor” in 10:16a. It should be understood figuratively to refer to the consequences or results of a wicked lifestyle.See NIDOTTE (H9311) and the NET footnote (c).

brings punishment: This phrase has the same structure as the parallel phrase “leads to life” in 10:16a. In Hebrew, it is literally “to sin.” There are two ways to interpret this word:

This word is a figure of speech (metonymy). It represents the punishment or death that sin causes. For example:
but evil people are paid with punishment (NCV) (BSB, NASB, NCV, NIV, REB)
This word refers literally to “sin.” The whole clause indicates that a wicked lifestyle results in sin. For example:
A wicked person’s harvest is sin (GW)
but sin leads only to more sin (GNT) (CEV, ESV, KJV, NAB, NJB, NLT, NRSV, GNT)

You may follow either interpretation. Interpretation (2) is followed by more English versions, but most scholars support interpretation (1).Delitzsch and McKane do not specifically identify this clause as an example of metonymy, but they do link sin with its result. For example, McKane (page 425) says: “the end-product of a wicked man’s activity is sin, and so retribution and death.” Others who support this view are Waltke, Fox, Garrett, Murphy, and footnote (e) in the NET.

Some ways to translate interpretation (1) are:

Give the meaning of the metonymy, as the NCV and NIV have done.
Use the word “sin,” and then make explicit the result of that sin. For example:
but the result of a wicked person’s life is sin, and sin leads to death/punishment

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

פְּעֻלַּ֣ת

wage_of

Here Solomon speaks of the reward that the righteous one receives as if it were a wage that someone pays. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The reward for”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

צַדִּ֣יק & רָשָׁ֣ע

law-abiding/just & wicked

The phrases the righteous one and the wicked one represent types of people in general, not one particular righteous one or wicked one. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “any righteous person … any wicked person”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

לְ⁠חַיִּ֑ים & לְ⁠חַטָּֽאת

[is]_(to),life & [is]_(to),sin

In this verse, the phrase is to indicates that what follows is the result of what was previously stated. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate result. Alternate translation: “leads to life … leads to sin” or “results in life … results in sin”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לְ⁠חַיִּ֑ים

[is]_(to),life

Here, life refers to both living well and living long. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “is to a good, long life” or “is to living happily for a long time”

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

תְּבוּאַ֖ת רָשָׁ֣ע לְ⁠חַטָּֽאת

gain_of wicked [is]_(to),sin

This clause is a strong contrast with the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “by contrast, the income of the wicked one is to sin”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

תְּבוּאַ֖ת

gain_of

Here Solomon speaks of the recompense or punishment that the wicked one receives as if it were income. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “the recompense for”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְ⁠חַטָּֽאת

[is]_(to),sin

Here, sin could refer to: (1) the punishment that someone receives for sin, which is suggested by the contrasting parallelism between this clause and the previous clause. Alternate translation: “is punishment for sin” (2) sin itself. Alternate translation: “is to sin more”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear PROV 10:16

Hebrew word order

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

10:16

10:16a

10:16b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)