PROV 14:18 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

14:18

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^18a The simple inherit folly,

^18bbut the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

14:18a

The simple inherit folly,

Those who believe anything and are easily deceived become fools,
If a person is easily deceived, he will experience the results of his own foolishness.

The simple inherit folly: There is a textual issue here. It involves the word that the BSB translates as inherit:

The Masoretic Text has naḥalu “inherit.” Here it is used figuratively to mean “acquire or gain as one’s destiny or permanent possession.” For example:
Simpletons have folly for their portion (NJB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, RSV, GNT)
To achieve better parallelism, some scholars propose that the original text had different vowels, resulting in the word neḥelu “adorned.” For example:
The simple are adorned with folly (NRSV) (NAB, NLT, NRSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars. The MT makes good sense, and there is no support for option (2) in the ancient versions.See Waltke (p. 580) and Murphy (p. 102) for good arguments against following the proposed text with different vowels and a discussion of the renderings of the LXX, Syriac, and Targums.

simple: This word was last used in 14:15a. For more information, see simple in the Glossary.

inherit: In this context, to inherit or “acquire” folly means to become less and less able to do what is right and to avoid what is wrong. One way to translate this meaning is:

A naive/gullible person becomes more and more foolish

folly: The word folly refers to a person’s moral foolishness—the inability or refusal to do what is morally right or to avoid what is wrong. It is also possible that folly here is a figure of speech that represents the results of foolish behavior.This is Waltke’s understanding (2004, pp. 596–597). Some English versions seem to reflect this interpretation. For example:

Ignorant people get what their foolishness deserves (GNT)

You may follow either approach. See folly in the Glossary.

14:18b

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

but clever/intelligent people are crowned/rewarded with increased knowledge.
If he is shrewd/sensible, what he knows will steadily increase.

but the prudent are crowned with knowledge: This clause is a figure of speech. It probably compares knowledge to a crown that sensible people gain as a reward for their wisdom.Longman (pp. 302–303), Toy (p. 293). Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Keep the figure of speech. For example:
but sensible people are crowned with knowledge (GW)
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
but the clever are rewarded with knowledge (GNT)
but a shrewd person gains knowledge as his reward

The word prudent was last used in 14:15b. For more information, see prudence in the Glossary.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

נָחֲל֣וּ & אִוֶּ֑לֶת

inherit & folly

Here Solomon speaks of Naive ones becoming foolish as if folly were property or wealth that they could inherit from a family member. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar use of inherit in [3:35](../03/35.md). Alternate translation: “become foolish”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אִוֶּ֑לֶת & דָֽעַת

folly & knowledge

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

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יַכְתִּ֥רוּ דָֽעַת

crowned knowledge

Here Solomon speaks of people being rewarded with knowledge as if knowledge were a crown they will wear. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “will be rewarded with knowledge” or “will be rewarded with knowledge as if it were a crown that they wore”

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 14:18

Hebrew word order

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

14:18

14:18a

14:18b

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