PROV 15:19 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

15:19

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^19a The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns,

^19bbut the path of the upright is a highway.

15:19a

The way of the slacker is like a hedge of thorns,

A lazy person who tries to accomplish his goals in life is like someone who tries to walk along a path that is overgrown/blocked with thorn bushes.
If you^(sing) are lazy, you will not be able to overcome the difficulties in your life, no matter what you want/plan to do.

15:19b

but the path of the upright is a highway.

But as for someone who is honest, he is like someone who walks along a straight, smooth road.
But if you^(sing) do what is right, you will be able to accomplish your plans. Nothing will block the path you take/follow.

15:19a–b

The way of the slacker…the path of the upright: In Proverbs, the parallel metaphors of way and path often represent a person’s conduct. Here, however, they are used in a context that is very similar to 11:5a. They represent a person’s progress toward meeting his goals in life. The contrast is between the life pathway followed by a slacker and the path followed by an upright person.

slacker…upright: A slacker is a lazy person. An upright person is someone who does what is right and honest. For upright, see the note on 11:3a.

is like a hedge of thorns…is a highway: This proverb compares the life of a lazy person to a path/road that is blocked by thorn bushes. Another way to translate the phrase that the BSB translates as like a hedge of thorns is:

overgrown with thorns (NRSV)

In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “like a thorn hedge.” A thorn hedge represents obstacles that block a person’s way. So the meaning of this simile is that a lazy person’s life is full of obstacles or difficulties. These difficulties keep him from reaching his goals.

By contrast, the life of an upright person is compared to a highway. His efforts to meet his goals are like traveling on a broad, level road that has been cleared of obstacles.

Some ways to translate these figures of speech are:

Use a simile in both lines. For example:
^19aA lazy person’s life is like a patch of thorns, ^19bbut an honest person’s life is like a smooth highway. (NCV)
Use similes and make explicit the points of similarity. For example:
^19aIf you are lazy, your aims in life will be blocked. You will be like a person who tries to force his way through a thorny hedge. ^19bBut if you are someone who does what is right, your plans will not be blocked. You will be like a person walking along a smooth road.
State the meaning without using figures of speech. For example:
A lazy person has trouble all through life; the path of the upright is easy! (NLT96)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

דֶּ֣רֶךְ עָ֭צֵל כִּ⁠מְשֻׂ֣כַת חָ֑דֶק וְ⁠אֹ֖רַח יְשָׁרִ֣ים סְלֻלָֽה

road/way_of lazy [is]_like,a_hedge_of thorns and_[the],path_of upright highway

The way of the lazy one and the path do not refer to specific things and people, but represent those things and types of people in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated the lazy one in [10:26](../10/26.md). Alternate translation: “The ways of lazy ones are like a hedge of brier, but the paths of the upright ones are a built-up highway”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דֶּ֣רֶךְ & וְ⁠אֹ֖רַח

road/way_of & and_[the],path_of

In this verse, Solomon uses way and path to refer to a person’s progress throughout that person’s lifetime. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The life progress of … the life progress of”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּ⁠מְשֻׂ֣כַת חָ֑דֶק

[is]_like,a_hedge_of thorns

Here Solomon compares the difficult and unproductive lifestyle of a lazy person with a hedge of brier that prevents someone from walking down a path. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “is difficult”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

כִּ⁠מְשֻׂ֣כַת חָ֑דֶק

[is]_like,a_hedge_of thorns

The phrase hedge of brier refers to a dense group of bushes that contains sharp thorns. Because the hedge is thick and has thorns, people cannot walk through it. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of plant, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “is like a large thorn bush” or “is like a plant that blocks the way”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

סְלֻלָֽה

highway

Here Solomon refers to the productive lifestyle of the upright ones as if it were a highway that was well-made and easy to walk on. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is productive”

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.