OET interlinear PRO 17:28

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

גַּ֤ם אֱוִ֣יל מַ֭חֲרִישׁ חָכָ֣ם יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣י⁠ו נָבֽוֹן

also/yet fool keeps_silent wise considered closes lips_of,his intelligent

These two clauses 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 that shows that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “Even a fool who keeps silent will be considered wise; yes, one who shuts his lips is an understanding one”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אֱוִ֣יל & אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣י⁠ו נָבֽוֹן

fool & closes lips_of,his intelligent

Here, a fool and one who shuts his lips represent types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated a fool in [7:22](../07/22.md). Alternate translation: “any fool … any person who shuts that person’s lips is an understanding person”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מַ֭חֲרִישׁ

keeps_silent

This phrase refers to someone who refrains from speaking unnecessarily. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “who does not speak unnecessarily”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

יֵחָשֵׁ֑ב

considered

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “people will consider to be”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

אֹטֵ֖ם שְׂפָתָ֣י⁠ו

closes lips_of,his

Here Solomon refers to someone who refrains from speaking unnecessarily as if that person shuts his lips. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “one who does not speak unnecessarily”