PROV 11:15 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

11:15

This proverb contrasts the bad consequences of guaranteeing another person’s loan with the good consequences of refusing to do so. Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^15a He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,

^15bbut the one who hates indebtedness is secure.

The phrases “puts up security” and “indebtedness” both refer to guaranteeing another person’s loan. See the notes on 6:1a–b and 6:1b, where the same terms occur and the BSB translates the second term as “struck hands in pledge.”

11:15a

He who puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer,

The person who promises to pay someone else’s debt if that person cannot pay is sure to suffer loss and regret it.
If someone guarantees a loan for a person he does not know, he will certainly experience hardship/trouble.

He who puts up security for a stranger: The phrase puts up security means “promises to pay a loan if the borrower cannot repay it.” The word stranger is the same word that was used in 6:1b. It refers to anyone who is not a family member, so this person is probably not well known.

will surely suffer: In Hebrew, this phrase can refer to physical suffering or injury. Here it probably refers to undergoing trouble or hardship as a result of having to pay another person’s debt. Some other ways to translate the meaning of this line are:

Whoever guarantees a stranger’s loan will get into trouble (GW)

If you promise to pay a stranger’s debt, you will regret it. (GNT)

It’s a dangerous thing to guarantee payment for someone’s debts. (CEV)

11:15b

but the one who hates indebtedness is secure.

But the person who refuses to shake hands to finalize such an agreement will not need to worry about such problems.
But if he refuses, he will avoid it.

the one who hates indebtedness: In this context, the word that the BSB translates as indebtedness means to clap or strike hands together. People did this to conclude a legal or financial agreement. Shaking hands has a similar function in many cultures today. Another way to translate this is:

whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge (NIV)

This expression does not refer to borrowing for oneself, but to guaranteeing a loan that another person has received. See the note on 6:1b for further ways to translate this action.

is secure: These words imply that a person who does not guarantee others’ loans is secure from the trouble or hardship that would happen to him if he had to pay someone else’s debt. Some other ways to translate this line are:

It is safer to avoid such promises. (NCV)

You are better off if you don’t get involved. (GNT)

it is better to refuse than to suffer later (NLT96)

Notice that these versions have not kept the gesture of striking hands. They have translated the meaning directly. You will need to decide whether or not to keep the gesture in your translation.

General Comment on 11:15a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel ideas in these lines, especially if you translate the meaning directly. For example:

It’s a dangerous thing to guarantee payment for someone’s debts. Don’t do it! (CEV)

These proverbs are intended as advice, so consider translating at least part of this verse with “you” pronouns. For example:

If you promise to be the guarantor for the debt of a person you do not know, you will certainly have bad consequences. So don’t make such agreements. Avoid the trouble.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

עָ֣רַב

puts_up_security

Although the term he is masculine, Solomon is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: “one pledged for” or “that person pledges for”

Note 2 topic: writing-poetry

רַע־יֵ֭רוֹעַ

evil trouble

For emphasis, Solomon is using a construction in which a verb and its object come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of showing the emphasis. Alternate translation: [One will come to great harm]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

עָ֣רַב

puts_up_security

See how you translated the same use of “pledge” in [6:1](../06/01.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠שֹׂנֵ֖א תֹקְעִ֣ים

and,[one_who]_hates pledge

By hating hand clasps, Solomon means specifically clasping hands to agree to pay a debt for someone. He is not referring to clasping hands in greeting or to make another kind of agreement. You could indicate this explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [but one who rejects this kind of agreement]

Note 5 topic: translate-symaction

תֹקְעִ֣ים

pledge

The function of this action in this culture was to confirm a contractual agreement between people. If there is a gesture with a similar meaning in your culture, you could consider using it here in your translation, or you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar phrase “clasp your palms” in [6:1](../06/01.md). Alternate translation: “shaking hands to confirm an agreement” or “confirming an agreement”

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.