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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 17 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28

OET interlinear PROV 17:7

◄ ← PROV 17:7 ↓ → ► ║ ©

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. לֹא
    2. 392996
    3. Not
    4. -
    5. 3808
    6. S-Tn
    7. not
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273905
    2. 392997
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273906
    1. נָאוָה
    2. 392998
    3. +is suitable
    4. suitable
    5. 5000
    6. P-Aafsa
    7. [is]_suitable
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273907
    1. לְ,נָבָל
    2. 392999,393000
    3. for a fool
    4. -
    5. 5036
    6. S-R,Aamsa
    7. for,a_fool
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273908
    1. שְׂפַת
    2. 393001
    3. a lip of
    4. -
    5. 8193
    6. S-Ncfsc
    7. a_lip_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273909
    2. 393002
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273910
    1. יֶתֶר
    2. 393003
    3. excellence
    4. -
    6. S-Ncmsa
    7. excellence
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273911
    1. אַף
    2. 393004
    3. indeed
    4. -
    5. 637
    6. S-Ta
    7. indeed?
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273912
    1. כִּי
    2. 393005
    3. if/because
    4. -
    6. S-C
    7. if/because
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273913
    2. 393006
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273914
    1. לְ,נָדִיב
    2. 393007,393008
    3. for a noble person
    4. ruler
    5. 5081
    6. P-R,Aamsa
    7. for,a_noble_[person]
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273915
    1. שְׂפַת
    2. 393009
    3. a lip of
    4. -
    5. 8193
    6. S-Ncfsc
    7. a_lip_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273916
    2. 393010
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273917
    1. שָׁקֶר
    2. 393011
    3. deception
    4. deceptive
    5. 8267
    6. S-Ncmsa
    7. deception
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273918
    2. 393012
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 273919

OET (OET-LV) Not is_suitable for_a_fool a_lip_of excellence indeed if/because for_a_noble_person a_lip_of deception.

OET (OET-RV) Excellent lips wouldn’t be suitable for a fool,
 ⇔ ≈ and certainly deceptive lips don’t suit a ruler.

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

17:7

Notice the parallelism:

7aEloquent words are unfit for a fool;

7bhow much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

This is another example of logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. (See 11:31 for a list of other examples in Proverbs.) The reasoning is: The situation in 17:7a is inappropriate. The situation in 17:7b is even more inappropriate.

17:7a

Eloquent words are unfit for a fool;

Eloquent words are unfit for a fool: In Hebrew, the word Eloquent is literally “excessive.” There are two ways to interpret the word in this context:The NET translates this word literally as “excessive.” Other English versions follow one or the other of the two interpretations.

  1. This word refers to excellent, fine-sounding speech. For example:

    Fine talk is out of place in a boor (REB)

    Eloquent words are not fitting for a fool (NLT) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB, GNT)

  2. This refers to arrogant speech. For example:

    Arrogant lips are unsuited to a fool (NIV) (NCV, NIV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. Fools are frequently described as arrogant in Proverbs, so arrogant speech would normally be fitting for a fool. By contrast, people do not expect a fool to speak eloquently, so eloquent speech would seem inappropriate for a fool.

are unfit: The phrase that the BSB translates as are unfit means “unsuitable,” “inappropriate,” or “out of character.”

for a fool: The Hebrew word nabal, which the BSB translates here as fool, describes a person who is morally foolish. In addition, this kind of fool does not believe in God. He acts in a disgraceful way and has no proper sense of shame.

That may be why the REB translates this word as “boor” (see the quote above). In English, this word refers to someone with vulgar behavior. Another way to translate this word is:

godless fool (GW)

See fool 3 in the Glossary.

17:7b

how much worse are lying lips to a ruler!

how much worse are lying lips to a ruler: It is inappropriate for a godless fool to use fine-sounding words. So it is even more inappropriate for a ruler to tell lies. The word translated here as ruler refers to someone with high social status, probably someone with a high rank in the government. Some other ways to translate this line are:

but it’s even worse for a ruler to tell lies (CEV)

Lies are even less appropriate for a leader

For more information on ruler, see the note on 8:16b.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

לְ⁠נָבָ֣ל שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר & לְ⁠נָדִ֥יב שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר

for,a_fool language_of fine & for,a_noble_[person] language_of lying

A lip of excess, a worthless one, a lip of falsehood, and a noble represent these things and people in general, not specific things or people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Lips of excess … for worthless ones … lips of falsehood for noble ones”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְׂפַת־יֶ֑תֶר

language_of fine

The phrase lips of excess refers to excellent or eloquent speech that people say by moving their lips. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Fine speech” or “Speaking excellently”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְׂפַת־שָֽׁקֶר

language_of language_of lying

See how you translated the same use of “a lip of falsehood” in [10:18](../10/18.md).

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. Not
    2. -
    3. 3835
    5. 392996
    6. S-Tn
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273905
    1. +is suitable
    2. suitable
    3. 5108
    5. 392998
    6. P-Aafsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273907
    1. for a fool
    2. -
    3. 3705,5117
    5. 392999,393000
    6. S-R,Aamsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273908
    1. a lip of
    2. -
    3. 8106
    5. 393001
    6. S-Ncfsc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273909
    1. excellence
    2. -
    3. 3109
    5. 393003
    6. S-Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273911
    1. indeed
    2. -
    3. 545
    5. 393004
    6. S-Ta
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273912
    1. if/because
    2. -
    3. 3482
    5. 393005
    6. S-C
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273913
    1. for a noble person
    2. ruler
    3. 3705,5129
    5. 393007,393008
    6. P-R,Aamsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273915
    1. a lip of
    2. -
    3. 8106
    5. 393009
    6. S-Ncfsc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273916
    1. deception
    2. deceptive
    3. 7684
    5. 393011
    6. S-Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 273918

OET (OET-LV) Not is_suitable for_a_fool a_lip_of excellence indeed if/because for_a_noble_person a_lip_of deception.

OET (OET-RV) Excellent lips wouldn’t be suitable for a fool,
 ⇔ ≈ and certainly deceptive lips don’t suit a ruler.

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 17:7 ↑ → ► ║ ©