PROV 10:8 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

10:8

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^8a A wise heart will receive commandments,

^8bbut foolish lips will come to ruin.

The parallelism is not exact. The parallel lines imply that people who are wise do not come to ruin. They also imply that the fool does not pay attention to advice.

10:8a

A wise heart will receive commandments,

A wise person obeys what he is advised/instructed to do,
If a person has good sense, he will accept/follow good advice,

A wise heart will receive commandments: The phrase A wise heart is a figure of speech. It refers to a wise person.

wise: See how you translated this word in 10:1b. See wisdom in the Glossary.

will receive commandments: This phrase means that a wise person does not only listen to commands or instruction. He also obeys them. Some other ways to translate this line are:

The wise are glad to be instructed (NLT)

The wise do what they are told (NCV)

If you have good sense, you will listen and obey (CEV)

The verse also implies that the commands/advice which the wise person accepts are good. The GNT makes this explicit:

Sensible people accept good advice (GNT)

You may or may not need to make this explicit in your language.

10:8b

but foolish lips will come to ruin.

but a fool who talks a lot will be ruined/destroyed.
but a person who speaks without thinking will destroy himself.

but foolish lips will come to ruin: The phrase foolish lips is literally “a fool of lips.” This is a figure of speech. It represents “a person who speaks foolishly” or “a foolish talker.” It is implied that this person talks a lot.

foolish: In Hebrew, this word for foolish refers to someone who is a moral fool. It does not refer to someone who is uneducated or who lacks intelligence. A moral fool is someone who is unable or unwilling to do what is right or to avoid what is wrong. This kind of fool does stupid and wrong things because of his evil character.

See fool 1 in the Glossary.

will come to ruin: The verb that the BSB translates as will come to ruin literally means “is thrown down.” Some English versions have used a similar literal expression. For example:

babbling fools fall flat on their faces (NLT)

the one who talks foolishly will be thrown down headfirst (GW)

But in most languages, it may be clearer to use the figurative meaning. For example:

a talkative fool will be ruined (NCV)

This verse does not specify the kind of ruin or trouble that the fool will experience. Nor does it make explicit who ruins the fool. If you need to specify the person who causes the fool’s downfall, it is probably the fool himself. For example:

If you always talk like a fool, you will destroy/ruin your own life.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

חֲכַם־לֵ֭ב

wise_of heart

This phrase refers to a person who thinks wisely. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “A wise thinker”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יִקַּ֣ח מִצְוֺ֑ת

heed commands

Here Solomon refers to obeying commands as if they were objects that a person receives. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “obeys commands”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מִצְוֺ֑ת

commands

Solomon implies that wise people obey commands to do good things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “commands to do good things”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וֶ⁠אֱוִ֥יל שְׂ֝פָתַ֗יִם

and,a_fool babbling

Here, the one stupid of lips refers to someone who speaks foolishly. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a similar expression in your language or express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “but a chattering fool” or “but one who speaks stupidly”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

יִלָּבֵֽט

come_to_ruin

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “will throw themselves down”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יִלָּבֵֽט

come_to_ruin

Here Solomon refers to a person’s life becoming ruined or destroyed as if that person were thrown down on the ground. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “will be destroyed” or “will be made useless”

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 10:8

Hebrew word order

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

10:8

10:8a

10:8b

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