PROV 11:18 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

11:18

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^18a The wicked man earns an empty wage,

^18bbut he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.

11:18a

The wicked man earns an empty wage,

There is no real gain/benefit for a person who is wicked,
What a wicked person actually gets/gains is not what he expected,

The wicked man earns an empty wage: The word that the BSB translates as empty is literally “false” or “deceptive.” This expression is figurative. It means that the results or benefits that the wicked person actually gains from his actions are not what he expects. He expects lasting happiness and prosperity. Instead, any benefits that he gains are temporary and disappointing.

Unless your language can use wage in a figurative sense, it is suggested that you translate the meaning directly. For example:

What a wicked person gains is actually worthless.

11:18b

but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

but a righteous person is sure to be rewarded.
but the reward of a person who does what is right is both certain and genuine.

but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward: The words sows and reaps have a figurative meaning here. The phrase sows righteousness means “does what is right or just.” The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates literally as true reward indicates that the righteous person will certainly be rewarded and that the reward will be genuine.

In some languages, the figurative ideas of sowing/planting righteousness and reaping/harvesting a reward may not express the meaning clearly. If that is true in your language, it may be better to translate without using figures of speech. For example:

but if you do what is right, you are certain to be rewarded (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

רָשָׁ֗ע

wicked

See how you translated this phrase in [9:7](../09/07.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

פְעֻלַּת־שָׁ֑קֶר & שֶׂ֣כֶר אֱמֶֽת

wages_of deceptive & reward_of true

In this verse, Solomon is using possessive forms to describe a wage that is characterized by falsehood and to describe a wage that is characterized by truth. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use different expressions. Alternate translation: “a false wage … a true wage”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

פְעֻלַּת־שָׁ֑קֶר & שֶׂ֣כֶר אֱמֶֽת

wages_of deceptive & reward_of true

Here Solomon speaks of results or rewards as if they were a wage someone receives. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “a false reward … a true reward”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠זֹרֵ֥עַ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה שֶׂ֣כֶר אֱמֶֽת

and,[one_who]_sows righteousness reward_of true

Solomon is leaving out a word that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply this word from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “but one who sows righteousness makes a wage of truth”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠זֹרֵ֥עַ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה

and,[one_who]_sows righteousness

Here Solomon refers to doing righteous deeds as if one were sowing seeds in a field. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “but one who does righteous deeds”

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 11:18

Hebrew word order

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

11:18

11:18a

11:18b

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