Open Bible Data Home  About  News  OET Key

OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search

InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV

Prov C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28 C29 C30 C31

Prov 16 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33

OET interlinear PROV 16:16

◄ ← PROV 16:16 ↓ → ► ║ ©

Hebrew word order

    1. Hebrew word
    2. Hebrew lemma
    3. OET-LV words
    4. OET-RV words
    5. Strongs
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. קְנֹה
    2. 392688
    3. To acquire
    4. acquire
    5. 7069
    6. V-Vqc
    7. to_acquire
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273663
    2. 392689
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273664
    1. חָכְמָה
    2. 392690
    3. wisdom
    4. wisdom
    5. 2451
    6. O-Ncfsa
    7. wisdom
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273665
    1. מַה
    2. 392691
    3. how
    4. -
    5. 4100
    6. P-Ti
    7. how!
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273666
    2. 392692
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273667
    1. טּוֹב
    2. 392693
    3. +is good
    4. -
    6. P-Aamsa
    7. [is]_good
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273668
    1. מֵ,חָרוּץ
    2. 392694,392695
    3. more than gold
    4. gold
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    7. more,than_gold
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273669
    1. וּ,קְנוֹת
    2. 392696,392697
    3. and to acquire
    4. and
    5. 7069
    6. SV-C,Vqc
    7. and,to_acquire
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273670
    1. בִּינָה
    2. 392698
    3. understanding
    4. understanding
    5. 998
    6. O-Ncfsa
    7. understanding
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273671
    1. נִבְחָר
    2. 392699
    3. +is chosen
    4. -
    5. 977
    6. P-VNrmsa
    7. [is]_chosen
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273672
    1. מִ,כָּסֶף
    2. 392700,392701
    3. more than silver
    4. rather silver
    5. 3701
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    7. more,than_silver
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273673
    2. 392702
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273674

OET (OET-LV) To_acquire wisdom how is_good more_than_gold and_to_acquire understanding is_chosen more_than_silver.

OET (OET-RV) It’s better to acquire wisdom than gold,
 ⇔ and to choose understanding rather than silver.

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

16:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

16aHow much better to acquire wisdom than gold!

16b To gain understanding is more desirable than silver .

This “better than” proverb has a different structure than proverbs such as 12:9. See the note there. Such proverbs have a contrast between a bad/undesirable situation and a good/desirable situation in each line. Here in 16:16, the first parallel part in each line is better than the second parallel part in each line.See Fox (pages 597–598) for more details on the logical structure of this kind of proverb. Another proverb of this type is 16:32.

The overall meaning is that it is better to gain wisdom and understanding than to obtain gold and silver. It does not imply that it is bad to obtain gold and silver.

16:16a–b

(combined/reordered)

How much better: This phrase is an exclamation that emphasizes the value of gaining wisdom. In languages that do not use this kind of exclamation, another way to express the emphasis is:

It is better—much better— (GNT)

It is far better

to acquire wisdom…To gain understanding: The verbs that the BSB translates as acquire and gain come from the same word in Hebrew. It means “to get or choose.” The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as understanding refers to the ability to comprehend and interpret ideas and to draw conclusions. Other words that express the meaning accurately include “perception” and “insight.”

See wisdom and understanding (insight) in the Glossary.

gold…silver: gold and silver often function together as a pair to indicate wealth.

General Comment on 16:16a–b

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

It is much better to gain wisdom and understanding than to accumulate gold and silver.

It is better to become wise and intelligent than to become rich.

16:16a

How much better to acquire wisdom than gold!

16:16b

To gain understanding is more desirable than silver.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

קְֽנֹה־חָכְמָ֗ה מַה־טּ֥וֹב מֵ⁠חָר֑וּץ וּ⁠קְנ֥וֹת בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר מִ⁠כָּֽסֶף

get wisdom what? better more,than_gold and,to_acquire understanding chosen more,than_silver

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than and in order to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “How better it is to acquire wisdom than gold, yes, to acquire understanding is to be chosen more than silver”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חָכְמָ֗ה & בִּ֝ינָ֗ה

wisdom & understanding

See how you translated the abstract nouns wisdom in [1:2](../01/02.md) and understanding in [2:2](../02/02.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

וּ⁠קְנ֥וֹת בִּ֝ינָ֗ה נִבְחָ֥ר

and,to_acquire understanding chosen

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “and people should choose to acquire understanding”

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

16:16 Wisdom and good judgment may lead to wealth, but wealth cannot buy wisdom.

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

    1. OET-LV words
    2. OET-RV words
    3. Strongs
    4. Hebrew word
    5. Hebrew lemma
    6. Role/Morphology
    7. Gloss
    8. CAPS codes
    9. OET tags
    10. OET word #
    1. To acquire
    2. acquire
    3. 6963
    5. 392688
    6. V-Vqc
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273663
    1. wisdom
    2. wisdom
    3. 2730
    5. 392690
    6. O-Ncfsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273665
    1. how
    2. -
    3. 4666
    5. 392691
    6. P-Ti
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273666
    1. +is good
    2. -
    3. 2866
    5. 392693
    6. P-Aamsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273668
    1. more than gold
    2. gold
    3. 4129,2653
    5. 392694,392695
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273669
    1. and to acquire
    2. and
    3. 1987,6963
    5. 392696,392697
    6. SV-C,Vqc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273670
    1. understanding
    2. understanding
    3. 941
    5. 392698
    6. O-Ncfsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273671
    1. +is chosen
    2. -
    3. 1177
    5. 392699
    6. P-VNrmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273672
    1. more than silver
    2. rather silver
    3. 4129,3541
    5. 392700,392701
    6. S-R,Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273673

OET (OET-LV) To_acquire wisdom how is_good more_than_gold and_to_acquire understanding is_chosen more_than_silver.

OET (OET-RV) It’s better to acquire wisdom than gold,
 ⇔ and to choose understanding rather than silver.

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 logo mark

◄ ← PROV 16:16 ↑ → ► ║ ©