PROV 16:17 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

16:17

In this proverb, the underlined parallel parts refer to the same person. They both refer to an upright person who guards his way. This person avoids evil. As a result, he protects his life.

^17a The highway of the upright leads away from evil;

^17b he who guards his way protects his life.

Another way to state this relationship is: An upright person protects his life by avoiding evil.

16:17a

The highway of the upright leads away from evil;

The conduct of an honest/righteous person is like a straight road that does not turn aside toward evil.
A person who does what is right stays away from evil.

The highway of the upright: The word translated here as highway is parallel with “way” in 16:17b. Both words are metaphors. They compare a person’s conduct with a road or path. In this context, the main similarity is that a highway and an upright person both follow a straight course.

When you translate these metaphors, try to keep the idea of a person who follows a particular path in life. One way to translate this metaphor is to change it to a simile. For example:

The conduct of an honest person is like a straight road that does not turn aside toward evil.

highway: The word highway refers to a straight, main road that had no obstacles. It normally went past cities rather than turning aside to enter them.Waltke (page 25), UBS (page 355). A different form of this word was also used in 15:19b to describe the “highway of the upright.” See the notes on 15:19a–b.

upright: See the note on 11:3a.

leads away from evil: In Hebrew, the word evil has two meanings that occur frequently in Proverbs. It can refer either to moral evil or to harm/misfortune, the consequence of moral evil. Most scholars feel that here it refers mainly to moral evil.Delitzsch, Kidner, Murphy, Ross, and Longman all support the meaning “wickedness.” Toy, Whybray, UBS, and McKane prefer “ misfortune.” Waltke (page 25) understands “both wrongdoing and its consequences.” Fox and Hubbard agree that the word carries both meanings here. Try to translate in such a way that both meanings can be understood. If that is not possible, you should focus on the meaning “wicked/evil.”

16:17a–b

(combined/reordered)

If you^(sing) are careful to do only what is right, the road you follow will not lead toward evil. In this way you will protect your life.

16:17b

he who guards his way protects his life.

Such a person protects his life by looking where he steps.
He is careful about the behavior that he follows. As a result, his life is secure/safe.

he who guards his way: The phrase guards his way is a metaphor. It compares a person who is careful about his conduct to a person who carefully watches where he walks. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Use a phrase that can be understood both literally and figuratively. For example:
he who watches his step (REB)
watch where you are going (GNT)
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
the person who is careful about what he does

protects his life: The Hebrew phrase that the BSB translates as protects his life means “keeps safe or preserves his life from danger.” Some other ways to express this meaning are:

preserves his life (REB)

keeps life safe (NJB)

protect their lives (NCV)

General Comment on 16:17a–b

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

An upright person who watches his step will stay on a good road that stays far from evil. By doing this he will protect his life.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מְסִלַּ֣ת

highway_of

Here Solomon speaks of upright behavior as if it were a well-built highway that is free of obstacles. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The behavior of”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ס֣וּר מֵ⁠רָ֑ע

avoids from,evil

See how you translated this phrase in [14:16](../14/16.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מֵ⁠רָ֑ע & נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ

from,evil & life_of,his

See how you translated the abstract nouns evil in [1:16](../01/16.md) and life in [10:16](../10/16.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽ⁠וֹ

he/it_was_watching life_of,his guards its=road/course

Here, one who protects and his refer to a type of person in general, not one particular person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: “any person who protects that person’s life guards that person’s way”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שֹׁמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ

he/it_was_watching life_of,his

Here Solomon speaks of a person who wants to stay alive as if his life were something that he protects. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “one who keeps himself alive”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נֹצֵ֥ר דַּרְכּֽ⁠וֹ

guards its=road/course

Here Solomon refers to a person being careful about how he behaves as if his behavior were a way that he guards. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the same use of way in [1:15](../01/15.md). Alternate translation: “behaves carefully” or “is careful in how he behaves”

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 16:17