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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
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Prov 16 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V33
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
Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:
9a A man’s heart plans his course,
9bbut the LORD determines his steps.
The overall contrast is between a person’s efforts to plan what he intends to do and God’s control of what actually happens. Compare 16:1, which has a similar theme but refers more specifically to speech.
A man’s heart plans his course,
People plan the direction/path they will follow in their lives,
We(incl) may make our plans of what we want to do,
A man’s heart: Another way to translate this phrase is:
In his mind (NAB)
In some languages, this phrase will not need to be stated explicitly, because it is implied by the word “plans.” For example:
You may make your plans (GNT)
You will need to decide whether it is natural in your language to translate this phrase explicitly.
his course: The phrase that the BSB translates as his course is literally “his way.” Here it probably refers to the direction that a person plans to take in life, not to a literal journey.
but the LORD determines his steps.
but Yahweh is the one who determines each step that they actually take.
but Yahweh decides everything that actually happens.
but the LORD determines his steps: The phrase his steps is literally “his step.” The singular form of the word may imply that the LORD determines each step or outcome of a person’s plans. Another way to translate this clause is:
but God directs your actions (GNT)
but the LORD decides each thing that you do
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
לֵ֣ב
mind_of
See how you translated the same use of heart in [2:2](../02/02.md).
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
אָ֭דָם & דַּרְכּ֑וֹ & צַעֲדֽוֹ
humankind & its=road/course & step[s]_of,his
Although man and his are masculine, Solomon is using these words in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use phrases that make this clear. Alternate translation: “a person … that person’s way … that person’s step”
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
דַּרְכּ֑וֹ
its=road/course
Here Solomon refers to what a person wants to do as if it were a way he walks on. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “what he wants to do”
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
יָכִ֥ין צַעֲדֽוֹ
determines step[s]_of,his
Here Solomon speaks of Yahweh determining the individual events related to the working out of a person’s plans as if Yahweh were guiding that person where to step. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “determines how that plan proceeds”
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.