PROV 18:12 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

18:12

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^12a Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,

^12bbut humility comes before honor.

The BSB and some English versions have arranged the parallel parts in the form of a chiasm. The parts in 18:12a occur in the opposite order from the parallel parts in 18:12b.

In Hebrew, there is no chiasm. The second line is more literally:

^12bbut before honor is humility.

The NLT also has no chiasm, but it arranges the parallel parts differently. It has:

^12a Haughtiness goes before destruction;

^12b humility precedes honor.

You should use whatever order expresses the meaning of the proverb most effectively.

The overall meaning is that a person’s pride causes him to be destroyed, but his humility causes him to be honored. In both lines, the literal meaning is that the character traits (haughtiness/humility) precede the results (destruction/honor). The implied meaning is that the character traits cause or lead to the results.

Verse 18:12 deals with a different theme from 18:10–11. But it repeats the idea of “high” as well as the opposite idea of “low.” A proud person’s heart is literally “high” (18:12a). The BSB tries to express the contrast in 18:12b by using the word “downfall” instead of “destruction.”

Other languages may also be able to express the ideas of humility and honor with words such as “low” or “high.” For example:

^12aA person with a high opinion of himself will be brought down to destruction,

^12bbut a person who lowers himself will be made high in the thoughts of others.

Consider whether this kind of repetition will be effective in your language.

18:12a

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,

Pride results in destruction,
If a person is proud, he will eventually be ruined/destroyed.

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud: This clause is similar to 16:18a. The word that the BSB translates there as “destruction” is the same word that it translates here as downfall. In both verses, it refers to a person’s ruin or destruction.

The word that the BSB translates here as proud is literally “high.” It is not the same Hebrew word as the word translated as “pride” in 16:18a, but it has the same meaning. Both words refer to a person who has a high opinion of himself. For more information on these two words, see the notes on 16:18 and 16:18a–b.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty (ESV)

Pride leads to destruction (CEV)

Proud people will be ruined (NCV)

18:12b

but humility comes before honor.

but humility results in honor/respect.
But if a person is humble, others will honor/respect him.

but humility comes before honor: This clause indicates that if a person is humble, the LORD or other people will honor him as a result. In Hebrew, this clause is identical to 15:33b (see the note there). However, 18:12b contrasts with the preceding line. Verse 15:33b does not introduce a contrast. Because of this difference in context, it may not be possible to translate the two lines the same way.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

humility leads to honor (CEV)

but the humble will be honored (NCV)

but if a person is humble, others will respect him

General Comment on 18:12a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parallel lines so that the good result comes before the bad one. For example:

^12bNo one is respected unless he is humble;

^12aarrogant people are on the way to ruin. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

לִ⁠פְנֵי־שֶׁ֭בֶר

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before destruction

Here Solomon refers to someone being proud before experiencing breaking as if breaking were a person with a face that the heart of a man could be exalted in front of. See how you translated this phrase in [16:18](../16/18.md). Alternate translation: “Before breaking” or “Before he is ruined”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

יִגְבַּ֣הּ לֵב־אִ֑ישׁ

haughty heart_of (a)_man

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: “a man exalts his heart”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לֵב

heart_of

See how you translated the same use of heart in [2:2](../02/02.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

אִ֑ישׁ

(a)_man

Although the term man is masculine, Solomon is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: “a person”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וְ⁠לִ⁠פְנֵ֖י כָב֣וֹד עֲנָוָֽה

and,[is],before_of honour (Some words not found in UHB: to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before destruction haughty heart_of (a)_man and,[is],before_of honour humility )

See how you translated the same clause in [15:33](../15/33.md).

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.