PROV 10:23 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

10:23

This proverb contrasts the different things that give pleasure to “a fool” and “a man of understanding.”

^23a The fool delights in shameful conduct,

^23bbut a man of understanding has wisdom.

10:23a

The fool delights in shameful conduct,

Doing wrong causes a foolish person pleasure/amusement. It is like the pleasure he gets when he laughs.
If you^(sing) are a complacent fool, you will enjoy doing what is wrong,

The fool: See fool 2 in the Glossary.

delights in shameful conduct: In Hebrew, the phrase delights in is literally “like laughter.” This is a simile that compares evil conduct to laughter. The similarity is that a fool enjoys doing wrong as much as he enjoys laughing at something that causes him amusement.Most scholars understand the word that the BSB translates as “delights” to mean “laughter.” For example, Waltke (page 467) translates the simile as “like [the pleasure of] laughter.” He defines the Hebrew word śǝḥoq as “an outward audible expression of inner mirth and pleasure.” UBS (page 232) also says that the word probably means “laughter,” as does Fox (page 523). Fox comments that it means “amusement” or “merriment” elsewhere. He gets equal entertainment or pleasure from both.

Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

Keep the simile. For example:
Like the laughter of a fool when he carries out an evil plan (GW)
Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool (ESV)
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
A foolish person enjoys doing wrong (NCV)
Doing wrong is fun for a fool (NLT)
Crime is the entertainment of the fool (NAB)

10:23b

but a man of understanding has wisdom.

But a person with good sense gets pleasure from acting wisely.
but if you^(sing) are intelligent/sensible, you will enjoy doing what is wise.

but a man of understanding has wisdom: In Hebrew, this line is more literally “but wisdom to a man of understanding.” The BSB has supplied the verb has.

a man of understanding: This phrase refers to someone who is competent and has good sense. A person like this knows how to take appropriate action.

understanding: The Hebrew word tǝbunah, which the BSB usually translates as understanding, means “good sense” or “competence” to handle the situations that a person faces in life. It is different from the word binah, which the BSB also usually translates as “understanding.” The word binah refers more to the ability to interpret and comprehend ideas. The word tǝbunah refers to the ability to take appropriate action.

See understanding (good sense) in the Glossary. Compare with the Glossary entry for understanding (insight).

has wisdom: The word wisdom is parallel to “evil conduct,” so it implies wise actions or a wise lifestyle. Some other ways to translate this line are:

but anyone with good sense enjoys acting wisely (CEV)

but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּ⁠שְׂח֣וֹק לִ֭⁠כְסִיל עֲשׂ֣וֹת זִמָּ֑ה

[is]_like,laughter for,a_fool to_make wrong

Solomon is saying that doing a wicked plan is like laughter because a stupid one enjoys it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “For a stupid one, doing a wicked plan is as much fun as laughing”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ֝⁠חָכְמָ֗ה לְ⁠אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה

and=wisdom for,a_person_of understanding

Solomon is leaving out some of the words in this clause that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “but wisdom is like laughter for a man of understanding”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ֝⁠חָכְמָ֗ה & תְּבוּנָֽה

and=wisdom & understanding

See how you translated the abstract nouns wisdom and understanding in [1:2](../01/02.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

לְ⁠אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה

for,a_person_of understanding

Although man is masculine, here it refers to any person with understanding. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “for a person of understanding”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

לְ⁠אִ֣ישׁ תְּבוּנָֽה

for,a_person_of understanding

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a man who is characterized by understanding. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “for an understanding man” or “for a person who has understanding”

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 10:23

Hebrew word order

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

10:23

10:23a

10:23b

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