PROV 11:27 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

11:27

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^27a He who searches out good finds favor,

^27bbut evil will come to him who seeks it.

The BSB has arranged the parallel parts in the form of a chiasm in order to emphasize the contrast between goodwill and evil. There is no chiasm in this verse in Hebrew, and many English versions follow the Hebrew word order. For example:

The one who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but the one who searches for evil—it will come to him. (NET)

Arrange the parallel parts in a natural way in your language.

11:27a–b

searches out good finds favor…seeks it: The verbs that the BSB translates as searches out, finds, and seeks are all synonyms in Hebrew. All basically mean to search for something. They imply that a person searches for something in order to find or obtain it.

The idea of finding or obtaining favor provides a good parallel with “evil comes to him” in 11:27b. This may be why the BSB and some other versions focus on the aspect of finding rather than searching. For example:

Someone who seeks what is good wins much favour (REB)

Whoever strives for good obtains favour (NJB)

If you search for good, you will find favor (NLT)

The first and last of the three synonyms have a more intensive meaning. They have the connotation of searching diligently or carefully. (See the notes on 1:28b and 8:17a–b, where the first verb also occurs.)

searches out: The verb that the BSB translates as searches out probably means to be diligent in doing what is good for others. Some other ways to translate this verb are:

diligently seeks (NRSV)

eagerly seeks (GW)

However, in some languages, a verb that means “seek” implies that something was lost. So another way to translate this is:

Try hard to do right (CEV)

11:27a

He who searches out good finds favor,

The person who diligently tries to do good to others will gain the approval/acceptance of both Yahweh and others.
If a person tries hard to do what will benefit others, approval/kindness will be his reward.

finds favor: The person who diligently tries to do what will benefit others obtains favor, goodwill, or kindness. Some versions specify that this favor is the favor that is granted by other people. For example:

you will win friends (CEV)

you will be respected (GNT)

However, most versions do not specify whether this refers to the LORD’s favor or people’s favor. Most scholars think that this phrase is talking about either the LORD’s favor or the favor of both the LORD and people.Toy, Ross, UBS, Garrett, and Waltke prefer “favor of God.” Fox, Delitzsch, and McKane prefer “favor of people.” The NET, Murphy, and Longman prefer “either or both.” So it is recommended that you leave the reference unspecified. If that is not possible, then it is recommended that you specify both the LORD and people. For example:

A person who diligently tries to do good to others will gain the approval of both the LORD and other people.

11:27b

but evil will come to him who seeks it.

But the one who tries hard to cause bad things to happen to others, those same bad things will happen to him.
But if he deliberately plans to do what is wrong to others, he will experience wrong himself.

but evil will come to him who seeks it: This line means that a person who deliberately or energetically tries to cause evil or harm to someone else will experience it himself.

seeks it: Some versions translate this phrase as:

looking for trouble (CEV, GNT)

However, that expression may mean “plans to get into mischief” or “tries to start a fight.” This line should refer to causing harm or evil to other people. That provides a clear contrast to causing benefit to other people in 11:27a.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שֹׁ֣חֵֽר & וְ⁠דֹרֵ֖שׁ & תְבוֹאֶֽ⁠נּוּ

diligently_seeks & and,[one_who]_seeks_carefully & it,will_come_to_him

In this verse, One diligently seeking, one searching for, and him refer to types of people in general. They do not refer to specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any person who diligently seeks … but any person who searches for … it will come to that person”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שֹׁ֣חֵֽר & וְ⁠דֹרֵ֖שׁ

diligently_seeks & and,[one_who]_seeks_carefully

In this verse, Solomon refers to people trying to do good and trying to do evil as if good and evil were objects that someone seeks or searches for. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “One who diligently tries to do good … but one who tries to do evil”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ט֭וֹב & רָצ֑וֹן & רָעָ֣ה

good & favour & evil

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of good, favor, and evil, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: “what is good … to be favored … what is evil”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ט֭וֹב

good

Solomon is using the adjective good as a noun to mean good things. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you can translate this adjective with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [to do good things]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יְבַקֵּ֣שׁ רָצ֑וֹן

seeks favour

Solomon says that someone diligently seeking good also seeks favor because that is what that person receives from Yahweh and other people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “finds favor from Yahweh and people”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

תְבוֹאֶֽ⁠נּוּ

it,will_come_to_him

Here Solomon speaks of someone experiencing evil as if evil were a person who could come to that person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly Alternate translation: “he will experience it” or “it will happen to him”

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.