PROV 12:23 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

12:23

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^23a A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself,

^23bbut a foolish heart proclaims its folly.

This proverb contrasts a prudent person who knows when to remain silent and a foolish person who speaks carelessly and reveals his ignorance.

12:23a

A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself,

A shrewd/sensible person is careful not to show his knowledge carelessly.
If a person has good sense, he will not tell others everything that he knows.

A shrewd man keeps his knowledge to himself: For the meaning of the word shrewd, see the note on 12:16b, where the BSB translates it as “prudent.” The phrase that the BSB translates as keeps…to himself is literally “covers” in the sense of “conceals”; many English versions translate the word as “conceals.” This clause means that a sensible/shrewd person carefully refrains from telling what he knows until the time/situation is appropriate. It does not mean that he never shares his knowledge with others.

In some languages, it may be helpful to make explicit at least part of this intended meaning. For example:

Wise people don’t make a show of their knowledge (NLT96)

Be sensible and don’t tell everything you know (CEV)

A clever person knows when to keep quiet about what he knows.

Notice that the CEV uses a command rather than a statement. Use a form that is natural in your language for a proverb like this.

12:23b

but a foolish heart proclaims its folly.

But an arrogant fool just talks loudly about anything that has no value/significance.
But if he is foolish, he will carelessly talk on and on and show his own foolishness.

but a foolish heart: The heart is a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole. So the phrase a foolish heart means “a foolish person.”

foolish: The word foolish here describes the character of a person who does what is stupid and wrong because he is mentally lazy and self-satisfied. He does not understand the need to change his own foolish behavior and does not want to think about the consequences. See fool 2 in the Glossary.

proclaims its folly: The word that the BSB translates as proclaims is literally “calls out.” Another way to translate it is:

blurts out (NIV)

In contrast to the cautious, appropriate revealing of knowledge in 12:23a, proclaims accurately expresses the implied information that fools speak loudly, carelessly, and inappropriately. In doing this, they show their own folly (moral or spiritual foolishness). See folly in the Glossary.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

אָדָ֣ם עָ֭רוּם

humankind cunning

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

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

כֹּ֣סֶה

conceals

See how you translated the same use of covers in [10:6](../10/06.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

דָּ֑עַת & אִוֶּֽלֶת

knowledge & folly

See how you translated the abstract nouns knowledge in [1:4](../01/04.md) and folly in [5:23](../05/23.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וְ⁠לֵ֥ב כְּ֝סִילִ֗ים

and_[the],heart_of fools

Here, heart refers to the whole person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “but the stupid one”

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 12:23

Hebrew word order

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

12:23

12:23a

12:23b

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