PROV 13:23 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

13:23

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^23a Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,

^23bbut without justice it is swept away.

13:23a

Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor,

Much food may grow in a poor person’s field/farm,
When poor people plow/prepare and plant their land, they harvest a large/good crop.

Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word that the BSB translates as fallow ground. With any of these interpretations, it refers to land that is suitable for farming:

The word refers in general to farmland. It is assumed that this land has been planted with seed. For example:
The field of the poor may yield much food (NRSV)
When poor people are able to plow, there is much food (GW) (CEV, GW, NAB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NRSV)
The word refers specifically to land that was left unplanted for a season (fallow ground)The Hebrew word nir occurs only here and in Jeremiah 4:3 and Hosea 10:12. Its specific meaning is unclear. TWOT (#1360a) defines it as “tillable or untilled or fallow ground.” UBS (p. 300) says that the “Hebrew term may refer to land left without planting for a season or it may refer to…land that is not being used or land that is newly claimed and has not grown crops before.” or that has never been farmed. For example:
The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food (ESV)
Unused fields could yield plenty of food for the poor (GNT) (BSB, ESV, NASB, REB, RSV, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. An unplanted or unused field does not normally produce a large amount of food. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Even when the land of the poor produces good crops (CEV)

A poor person’s field might produce plenty of food (NCV)

13:23b

but without justice it is swept away.

but because there is no justice, that food will probably be taken/stolen from him.
But other people often cheat them and take what they grow/harvest.

but without justice it is swept away: In Hebrew, this line is literally “there is what is swept away because [there is] no justice.”See the NET footnote on this line (same as Ross, p. 981). This note also lists some of the numerous variations in the LXX, Syriac, and other ancient versions. There are two main interpretations of this line:

The poor person’s crop is swept away. For example:
but injustice sweeps it all away (NLT) (BSB, CEV, ESV, KJV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB, GNT)
The poor person himself is swept away. For example:
but a person is swept away where there is no justice (GW) (GW, NAB, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. This interpretation assumes that poor people plant crops, but unjust people or practices keep them from getting a fair price or a fair share of the harvest.Longman (p. 283) points out that “injustice can come in many forms, e.g., an exploitative landlord or unfair govt. taxation.”

without justice it is swept away: One way to translate this using a figure of speech is:

injustice sweeps it away (NIV, NLT)

In this translation , “injustice” is personified. It is described as if it were a person who swept away the crops of poor people. In some languages, it may not be natural use such a figure of speech. Other ways to translate this are:

but others often steal it away (NCV)

they get cheated out of what they grow (CEV)

As in other proverbs, this verse describes a general principle or a situation that often occurs. The NCV (quoted above) makes this explicit with the word “often.” Use a natural way in your language to express a general principle.

it is swept away: This phrase is a figure of speech that often describes hostile or violent action by a person’s enemies.See Waltke (p. 573) and UBS (p. 300). TWOT (#1531) says that “the root is usually used in a hostile sense.” In this context, it means that the poor person’s crop is taken away from him by various means. See the NCV and CEV (quoted above) for two examples. Another way to translate this line is:

but through injustice it may be stolen (REB)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-unknown

נִ֣יר

field_of

An unplowed field is a field that has not been prepared for growing crops. If your readers would not be familiar with plowing fields for farming, you could use the name of a similar farming practice in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “is in the field that has not been prepared for food production belonging to”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠יֵ֥שׁ נִ֝סְפֶּ֗ה

and,there_[is] swept_away

Solomon is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from earlier in the sentence if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “but there is the poor ones’ food being swept away”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

נִ֝סְפֶּ֗ה בְּ⁠לֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט

swept_away in,not justice

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: “injustice sweeping it away”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נִ֝סְפֶּ֗ה

swept_away

Here, swept away refers to completely removing something. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “a removal”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

בְּ⁠לֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּֽט

in,not justice

Here Solomon refers to no justice as if it were a person who causes the food of poor people to be swept away. He means that injustice results in poor people lacking food. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “because of injustice” or “because people act unjustly”

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 13:23

Hebrew word order

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

13:23

13:23a

13:23b

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