PROV 16:14 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

16:14

There are no parallel parts that clearly contrast or are similar in meaning. The second line probably describes an action that a person can take to counteract or avoid the dangerous situation in 16:14a.

^14aThe wrath of a king is a messenger of death,

^14bbut a wise man will pacify it.

16:14a

The wrath of a king is a messenger of death,

The anger of a king is like a messenger. That messenger says, “Someone must die.”
If a king gets angry, he may cause you^(sing) to be killed,

The wrath of a king is a messenger of death: This clause is a metaphor. The wrath of a king is compared to an official messenger who delivers a death sentence. Such a messenger not only announced that someone was condemned to die, but he often carried out the punishment as well. So this line means that when a king becomes angry, his anger shows (sends a message) that he intends to have someone killed. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
The king’s anger is like a messenger that makes known that someone will soon be executed.
Give the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
An angry king can put someone to death (NCV)

16:14b

but a wise man will pacify it.

But a person who is wise will know how to pacify the king’s anger.
so if you^(sing) are wise, you will find a way to cool/calm his anger.

but a wise man will pacify it: There are at least two ways to understand the relationship between the wise man’s response in 16:14b and the king’s anger in 16:14a:

People expect that a death sentence issued by an angry king will usually be carried out. The wise man’s ability to appease a king’s anger contrasts with this expectation. For example:
but a wise man will appease it (NIV)
People realize that a potential death sentence issued by an angry king is very serious. The wise man’s attempt to appease a king’s anger may be a logical result of this serious situation. For example:
and whoever is wise will appease it (NRSV)
so a wise person will try to make him happy (NCV)

Either of these relationships fits the context. Express the relationship between these two lines in a way that seems logical in your language.

will pacify it: The word pacify here means to appease or calm or cool down the king’s anger.A translation such as “A wise person will try to keep the king happy” (GNT) is not recommended, because it implies that the king has not yet become angry. The Hebrew text clearly talks about calming the anger of a king who has already become angry.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

חֲמַת

severe_anger_of

See how you translated the same use of heat in [6:34](../06/34.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֶ֥לֶךְ & וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ חָכָ֣ם

king & and,a_person wise

Here, a king and a wise man represent types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “any king … but any wise man”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת

messenger_of death

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe messengers who cause death. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “is messengers who cause death”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

מַלְאֲכֵי־מָ֑וֶת

messenger_of death

Here Solomon speaks of an angry king causing people to die as if his anger were messengers whom he sends out to kill someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “puts people to death” or “causes death”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מָ֑וֶת

death

See how you translated the abstract noun death in [2:18](../02/18.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

יְכַפְּרֶֽ⁠נָּה

he,covers_it

Here, atone for it refers to doing something that will cause an angry king to stop being angry. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “assuage the king’s anger” or “do what he can stop the king from being angry”

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 16:14

Hebrew word order

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

16:14

16:14a

16:14b

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