PROV 15:23 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

15:23

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^23a A man takes joy in a fitting reply—

^23band how good is a timely word!

15:23a–b

(combined/reordered)

If a person gives his fellow man a good answer that is appropriate, it causes everyone to be happy.

A man takes joy in a fitting reply—and how good is a timely word!: The phrase that the BSB translates as a fitting reply is literally “the answer of his mouth.” Because of the parallelism with a timely word, it is implied that his answer is good, appropriate, or useful. The second line is literally “how good is a word in its time.” This means that a statement is good, useful, or effective when it is appropriate or fits the occasion.

takes joy…how good: The first line focuses on the joy that is experienced by someone who gives a good answer. The parallel how good in 15:23b focuses on the nature of the answer and on its usefulness to the listener. But it probably also implies that the speaker benefits from his good answer.

General Comment on 15:23a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:

Giving the right answer at the right time makes everyone happy. (CEV)

What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion! (GNT)

See 15:23a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

15:23a

A man takes joy in a fitting reply—

When a person answers a question/request with something that is useful/beneficial, it gives him happiness/satisfaction.

15:23b

and how good is a timely word!

Everyone appreciates it when someone says the right words at the right time.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שִׂמְחָ֣ה לָ֭⁠אִישׁ בְּ⁠מַעֲנֵה־פִ֑י⁠ו

joy [belongs]_to,person in_[the],answer_of his_mouth_of,his

Solomon is speaking of an answer as if it were a container, and he is speaking of Joy as if it were an object that could be inside that container. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The man has joy because of the answer of his mouth”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שִׂמְחָ֣ה לָ֭⁠אִישׁ בְּ⁠מַעֲנֵה־פִ֑י⁠ו

joy [belongs]_to,person in_[the],answer_of his_mouth_of,his

Here, the man, the answer, and his refer to a type of people and answers in general, not a specific man or answer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any person has joy because of an answer of that person’s mouth”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

שִׂמְחָ֣ה

joy

See how you translated the abstract noun joy in [10:28](../10/28.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠מַעֲנֵה־פִ֑י⁠ו

in_[the],answer_of his_mouth_of,his

The phrase a word in its time in the second clause implies that the answer in the first clause is a good or fitting answer. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “in the good answer of his mouth” or “in the fitting reply of his mouth”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בְּ⁠מַעֲנֵה־פִ֑י⁠ו

in_[the],answer_of his_mouth_of,his

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe an answer that someone says with his mouth. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “in the good answer he says” or “in what he says well in reply”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

וְ⁠דָבָ֖ר בְּ⁠עִתּ֣⁠וֹ מַה־טּֽוֹב

and_[is],a_word at,its_appropriate_of,time what? good

This clause is a positive exclamation that emphasizes that something spoken at the right time is very good. If it would be helpful in your language, you could show this by making it a separate sentence and using a positive exclamation that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “A word in its time is very good!”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠דָבָ֖ר בְּ⁠עִתּ֣⁠וֹ מַה־טּֽוֹב

and_[is],a_word at,its_appropriate_of,time what? good

The phrase a word in its time refers to a word that is spoken at the appropriate time. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and how good is a word spoken at the appropriate time”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠דָבָ֖ר & מַה־טּֽוֹב

and_[is],a_word & what? good

See how you translated the similar use of word in [12:25](../12/25.md).

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 15:23