PROV 18:24 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

18:24

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^24aA man of many companions may come to ruin,

^24bbut there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

The main contrast is between casual or unreliable companions and a true friend. It is implied that only a true friend is loyal in times of trouble. By contrast, someone with casual friends who are not willing to help him may come to ruin.

18:24a–b

companions…friend: Depending on the context, the word companions can refer to a person’s fellow man, a neighbor, an associate, or a friend. In this context, where it contrasts with friend, it implies a superficial or unreliable friend.

The parallel word that the BSB translates as friend is literally “lover.” In this context, it refers to a true, close, or loyal friend. It does not imply a romantic or sexual relationship.

18:24a

A man of many companions may come to ruin,

Sometimes a person’s companions may refuse to help him, and then he will be in serious trouble.
If you^(sing) have friends/companions who are not loyal/reliable, they may cause you real harm.

A man of many companions may come to ruin: There are several textual and interpretation issues in this clause.Whybray (page 274) provides the most complete list of the textual options, possible derivations, and interpretations that have been proposed for this verse. He does not argue strongly for any one position. They involve the phrase A man of many companions and the phrase may come to ruin. The following notes will discuss the main options. These options will combine both textual and interpretation issues. Some versions follow a recommended option for one issue, but not for the other issue.

A man of many companions: In Hebrew, the word many is not explicit. There are two ways to spell the first Hebrew word in this phrase. There are three main interpretations of the phrase:

The phrase says: “There are friends/companions.” For example:
There are friends (NJB)
Some friends (NAB) (CEV, GW, NAB, NCV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, REB, RSV, GNT)
The phrase says: “A man of friends.” This phrase refers to a person who has friends. The number of friends is not relevant. For example:
A person who has friends (NET) (KJV, NET, NIV11)
The phrase says: “A man of friends.” This is an idiom that refers to a person who has many friends.Toy points out that in OT expressions that have the form “man of X,” the X usually defines “a personal quality or a characteristic occupation” (page 366). Cohen’s view, that this expression indicates a man who “indiscriminately multiplies his friends” (page 123), does not fit the normal pattern. For example:
A man of many companions (ESV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NIV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretations (1) or (2), along with most versions. Both of these interpretations imply that the companions are casual friends or acquaintances. It is also implied that they may not be loyal or reliable. The main contrast is about the quality of the friends, not the number of friends.

may come to ruin: In Hebrew, this phrase is a single word that can come from two different verbs:The verb root in option (1) is raʿaʿ (NIDOTTE, H8318; TWOT, #2192; Murphy, page 134). The root in option (2) is raʿah. See NIDOTTE (H8318), TWOT (#2192), Murphy (page 134), Fox (page 646), and Whybray (page 274) for more details.

This word comes from a verb that means “inflict harm” or “bring ruin.” In this context, it means that the unreliable friends will cause a person to be harmed or ruined. For example:
bring ruin on us (NAB) (BSB, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NET, NJB, NIV, NLT)
This word comes from a verb that means “associate with.” In this context, it means that a casual friend will spend time socializing. For example:
to keep one company (NJPS) (NJPS)REB (“are good only for idle talk”) also appears to follow this option, but its rendering is probably derived from another root. See Hubbard (page 265). Scholars who support the NJPS option include Murphy, Fox, Scott, Cohen, Longman, and Toy. Toy (pages 366–367) probably has the best treatment of this option.
This word comes from the same verb as option (1). It has the implied meaning “pretends to be a friend.”According to UBS (page 395), HOTTP allows the RSV rendering as one of the possible interpretations of the Hebrew text “to break himself” or “to break to pieces.” Cohen says that the text means “to break one another.” He explains that people who pretend to be friends will not hesitate to harm one another if they will derive personal gain from it (page 123). Although this statement is true, it is not one of the meanings of the Hebrew verb. For example:
pretend to be friends (RSV) (RSV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars. This is the most straightforward interpretation of the Hebrew verb.

Some ways to translate the clause in 18:24a are:

A person who has friends may be harmed by them (NET)

Some friends bring ruin on us (NAB)

Friends can destroy one another (GW)

18:24b

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

But a true friend is often more helpful/loyal than a brother/sibling.
But a loving/close friend will remain close to you^(sing) and help you even more than your own family.

but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother: This clause means that a true friend can be relied on for help in times of need or trouble. Such a friend has a closer relationship than even a brother or close family member. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin (NRSV)

but a real friend will be more loyal than a brother (NCV)

but a loving friend can stick closer than family (GW)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים & אֹ֝הֵ֗ב & מֵ⁠אָֽח

(a)_man friends & friend & more,than_a_brother

A man, one who loves, and a brother refer to types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any person of companions … any person who loves … more than any brother”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים

(a)_man friends

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a man who has companions. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “A man with companions”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אִ֣ישׁ רֵ֭עִים

(a)_man friends

This phrase could refer to: (1) a person who has false or unreliable companions who harm him, which contrasts with one who loves in the next clause. Alternate translation: “A man with unreliable companions” (2) a person who has too many companions. Alternate translation: “A man with too many companions”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ⁠הִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ

[is]_to,be_broken

Here Solomon refers to a person being destroyed as if he were broken. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “will experience destruction” or “will be destroyed”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

לְ⁠הִתְרֹעֵ֑עַ

[is]_to,be_broken

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: “will experience ruin”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דָּבֵ֥ק מֵ⁠אָֽח

sticks_closer more,than_a_brother

Here Solomon refers to a person’s friend being more loyal than a brother as if that friend were clinging to him more than a brother would cling. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “more faithful than family”

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.