PROV 18:19 Interlinear View

18:19 OSHB variant note: ו/מדונים: (x-qere) ’וּ֝/מִדְיָנִ֗ים’: lemma_c/4079 n_0.0 morph_HC/Ncmpa id_205EL וּ֝/מִדְיָנִ֗ים

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

18:19

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^19a An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city,

^19band disputes are like the bars of a castle.

The overall meaning is that it is difficult to restore a close relationship that has been broken as a result of a quarrel. The hard feelings that result from a quarrel are like the high walls and barred gates that prevent people from entering a city.

18:19a

An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city,

It is more difficult to regain the friendship of a brother/fellowman that you^(sing) have offended than it is for you to capture a city with a strong stone wall.
It is hard to approach and enter a walled city. It is even harder to approach a brother/friend if you have hurt his feelings.

An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city: There is a textual issue in this clause:

The Masoretic Text has: “A brother offended…” This text compares an offended brother to a strong city that no one can enter. This comparison and the comparison in 18:19b both have undesirable meanings. So English versions connect the two verse parts with the word “and.” For example:
^19aA brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, ^19band quarrelling… (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NJB, NJPS, NIV, NLT, NRSV, REB)
The LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and Targum have: “A brother helped…” This text compares a brother that has been helped to a strong city that offers protection. This comparison has a desirable meaning. The comparison in 18:19b has an undesirable meaning. So English versions connect the two verse parts with the word “but.” For example:
^19aA brother helped is like a strong city,
^19b but quarreling is like the bars of a castle. (RSV) (RSV, GNT)The NAB also has “A brother helped…” in 18:19a, but it has “a friend” instead of “quarreling” in 18:19b, so it connects the two verse parts with “and.” This change is different from both the MT and the LXX.

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars.

This clause is a metaphor. It compares a brother that has been offended or sinned against to a city with high, strong walls. The Hebrew text is literally “A brother offended more than a strong city.” Some ways that an offended brother is similar to a strong city are:

Their defenses cannot be broken down.
They are isolated from others.
It is difficult to approach them.

When you translate this metaphor, you will need to make one or more of the similarities explicit, as the BSB and other versions have done. For example:

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city (NASB)

An offended brother is more resistant than a strong city (GW)

brother: In this context, the word that the BSB translates as brother may also refer to other close relationships.Longman (page 359), Waltke (page 84). For example:

friend (NLT)

relative (NET)

It is implied that the offended brother or friend was involved in the “disputes” mentioned in 18:19b.

18:19b

and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

Indeed, arguments separate people like a gate that is locked with an iron bolt.
When people have quarreled like this, it is like they are on opposite sides of a gate that cannot be opened.

and disputes are like the bars of a castle: This is a simile. It compares disputes or quarrels to strong iron bars or bolts. These bars fasten the gates of a strongly fortified place, such as a castle or fortress. Some ways that they are similar are:

Both quarrels and bars create barriers between people.
These barriers are difficult to break down or break through.

Some ways to translate this simile are:

General Comment on 18:19a–b

Leave the similarity implied. For example:
such strife is like the bars of a fortress (NJPS)
and quarreling is like the locked bolt on the gate of a castle
Make the similarity explicit. For example:
Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. (NLT)

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

Making up with a friend you have offended is harder than breaking through a city wall. (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אָ֗ח

brother

Here, brother refers to any relative or close friend. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “A relative”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

מִ⁠קִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז

[is]_more,than_a_town_of fortified

Solomon is leaving out a word that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply this word from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “is more unyielding than a city of strength” or “is more difficult to approach than a city of strength”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מִ⁠קִּרְיַת־עֹ֑ז

[is]_more,than_a_town_of fortified

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a city that is characterized by strength. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “is more than a strong city”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ו⁠מדונים

and,contentions

See how you translated the abstract noun quarrels in [6:14](../06/14.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּ⁠בְרִ֥יחַ אַרְמֽוֹן

[are]_like_[the],bar_of citadel

This could mean: (1) quarrels cause people to stay away from each other as though a bar blocking the gate of a fortress were between them. Alternate translation: “separate people” (2) resolving quarrels is as difficult as trying to enter a fortress that has a bar across its gate. Alternate translation: “are very difficult to resolve”

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

כִּ⁠בְרִ֥יחַ

[are]_like_[the],bar_of

A gate bar was a large piece of metal or wood that was placed across a gate in order to make the gate difficult to break down or open. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of bar, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “are like the bar placed across the gate of”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

18:19 OSHB variant note: ו/מדונים: (x-qere) ’וּ֝/מִדְיָנִ֗ים’: lemma_c/4079 n_0.0 morph_HC/Ncmpa id_205EL וּ֝/מִדְיָנִ֗ים

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.