PROV 14:4 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

14:4

The ESV has been used as the source line for 14:4a because it follows the recommended interpretation. Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^4aWhere there are no oxen, the manger is clean,

^4bbut abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

This verse implies that a person who owns no oxen will have the small advantage of a clean manger. Also, he will not have to feed or care for any animals. However, without a strong ox to help with the farm work, he will not enjoy the big advantage of a plentiful harvest.

14:4a

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

If a person has no oxen/cattle to help with the work, the feeding trough/box will be clean and empty.
The absence of cattle/animals for work in the fields will result in a clean storage area for their food/fodder that has nothing in it.

(ESV) Where there are no oxen: The word that the ESV translates as oxen can refer to either male or female oxen or cattle. It can also represent any animal that is used for working in the fields. Such work included pulling a plow or wagon or helping to thresh the grain.

In some languages, the logical connection between oxen, a clean feeding trough, and an abundant harvest may not be clear. To help the readers understand the connection, you may want to make explicit the implied information that oxen were used for work in the fields. For example:

If you have no oxen to help do the work

(ESV) the manger is clean: There is a textual issue in this clause. (The interpretation issue of “clean” or “empty” will be discussed following the textual issue.). In Hebrew, the word bar can mean either “pure/clean” or “grain.”These words are homonyms. TWOT (#288a) glosses bar (II) as “pure, clean.” In three of its seven occurrences in the OT, it refers to moral purity. Here, in the context of a feeding trough, “clean” and “empty” are appropriate translations. The LXX understood this word to mean “clean.” TWOT (#288b) glosses bar III as “grain.” So the MT could also be understood as “manger [of] grain.” This interpretation is supported by McKane (p. 471) and Garrett (p. 141) and is mentioned as an option by Fox (p. 573). But it does not provide a good contrast with 14:4b and is not followed by any English versions. See Murphy (p. 101) and Waltke (pp. 576–577) for more details.

The Masoretic Text has ʾebus bar, literally “manger clean.” For example:
the feeding trough is clean (NET) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, REB, GNT)
Some scholars think that the original text had ʾepes bar, literally “no grain.” For example:
there can be no crop (CEV) (CEV, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with the LXX and most versions.According to Longman (p. 297), there is no evidence in the ancient versions or translations to support the proposal that the original text was “no grain.”

(ESV) manger: The Hebrew word that the ESV translates as manger refers specifically to a feeding trough or feedbox. For example:

the feeding trough (GW)

If people in your area do not use a feeding trough, you may use a more general word or phrase that refers to a place to store grain or fodder for feeding the animals. For example:

the barn (NCV)

the granary

the place where you store food for the animals

(ESV) clean: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the ESV translates here as clean:

It means that the feedbox or storage area is clean. There is no manure or anything else to make it dirty. For example:
the feeding trough is clean (NET)
a stable stays clean (NLT) (ESV KJV, NASB, NET, NLT, NJPS)
The word “clean” implies “empty.” There is no grain or other animal food stored there. For example:
the feeding trough is empty (GW)
your barn will be empty (GNT) (BSB, GW, NAB, NCV, NIV, NJB, REB, GNT)

Both interpretations are well supported by English versions. Many scholars point out that there is little practical difference between them and that each interpretation implies the other.See UBS, Waltke, Murphy, Hubbard, and Fox. It is recommended that you translate in a way that combines both interpretations. For example:

the place where you put food for the animals will be empty and clean

See the meaning lines in the Display for two other examples that combine the interpretations. If you prefer to follow one interpretation, choose the interpretation that

makes good sense to people in your language area and
forms a logical contrast with 14:4b.

14:4b

but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.

But if a person has a strong ox to help him, he will be able to harvest a lot.
But a strong animal to do the work will result in a large/plentiful harvest/crop.

but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox: There are two ways to interpret the word harvest:

It refers to crops that are harvested. For example:
abundant crops (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NCV, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB, GNT)
It refers to money from the sale of crops that are harvested. For example:
much cash (NJB) (NASB, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. There is no evidence that the Hebrew word for harvest refers to money from the sale of crops.See TWOT (#212c).

In some languages, it is not natural to say that a harvest comes from the strength of the ox. Some other ways to express the meaning are:

But with a strong ox, much grain can be grown. (NCV)

but an abundant harvest is produced by strong oxen (NET)

but you need a strong ox for a large harvest (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אֵב֣וּס בָּ֑ר

manger_of empty

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a trough that is characterized by cleanness. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “is a clean trough”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

אֵב֣וּס

manger_of

A trough is a container that holds food for domesticated animals such as cattle. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of animal food container, you could use the name of something similar in your area, or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “is a food container of”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠רָב

and,abundance_of

See how you translated the abstract noun abundance in [5:23](../05/23.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

בְּ⁠כֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר

[is]_by_[the],strength_of ox

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 the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “is produced by the strength of an ox”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ⁠כֹ֣חַ שֽׁוֹר

[is]_by_[the],strength_of ox

Here, strength refers to the work an ox does that involves using strength. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is by the work done by a strong ox”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שֽׁוֹר

Here, the word ox represents oxen in general, not one particular ox. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression, as in the UST.

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 14:4

Hebrew word order

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

14:4

14:4a

14:4b

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