PROV 20:2 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

20:2

The first line of this proverb compares the terrifying wrath of a king to a lion’s roar. The second line explains why his wrath causes such fear.

^2aThe terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;

^2bwhoever provokes him forfeits his own life.

20:2a

The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion;

A king’s anger is like a lion’s roar/growl. It terrifies people.
People fear an angry king like they fear a roaring lion.

The terror of a king is like the roar of a lion: This clause is a simile. The Hebrew phrase that the BSB literally translates as The terror of a king is a figure of speech (metonymy). It represents the result of a king’s wrath.Jouon-Muraoka (page 436) understands that the fear is directed toward the king: “the fear (one has) of the king.” Whybray (page 288), Cohen (page 131), and Fox (page 663) agree that this fear or dread is caused by the king’s wrath.

The whole phrase is a simile. It compares the terror that is caused by a king’s wrath to the terrifying roar of a lion. Some ways to translate this simile are:

Make explicit both the king’s wrath and the terror that it causes. For example:
The king’s terrifying anger is like the roar of a lion (NET)
Fear an angry king as you would a growling lion (GNT)
Make explicit only the king’s wrath. For example:
An angry king is like a roaring lion. (NCV)
Make explicit only the terror that people feel for the king. For example:
People are just as afraid of a king as they are of a growling lion.

This simile is identical to 19:12a except that the Hebrew word for “terror” is used here instead of the word for “rage.”

roar: See how you translated this word in 19:12a.

20:2b

whoever provokes him forfeits his own life.

A person who makes him angry risks/loses his own life.
If you^(sing) provoke him to anger, you may die as a result.

whoever provokes him forfeits his own life: This clause explains why people fear an angry king. A person who makes a king angry may lose his own life.

forfeits his own life: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “sins against himself” or “sins against his life.” In this context, it indicates that the person endangers his own life and will probably be killed.UBS (page 416), Toy (page 383).

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

to rouse his anger is to risk your life (NLT)

Making him angry may cost you your life. (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֵ֣ימַת

severe_anger_of

See how you translated the abstract noun terror in [10:24](../10/24.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

כַּ֭⁠כְּפִיר & מֶ֑לֶךְ מִ֝תְעַבְּר֗⁠וֹ חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁ⁠וֹ

like_(the),lion & king [one_of,who]_infuriates_him forfeits life_of,his

Here, a king, the young lion, one who infuriates, him, and his refer to types of people and young lions in general, not to specific people or a specific young lion. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “any king … like any young lion … any person who infuriates that king forfeits that person’s own life”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

נַ֣הַם כַּ֭⁠כְּפִיר

growling like_(the),lion

See how you translated the same expression in [19:12](../19/12.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / euphemism

חוֹטֵ֥א נַפְשֽׁ⁠וֹ

forfeits life_of,his

Here, in a polite way Solomon refers to causing one’s own death by using the phrase wrongs his life. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more polite way of referring to this in your language, or you could state this plainly. Alternate translation: “will cause his end” or “will cause himself to be killed”

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.

OET interlinear PROV 20:2

Hebrew word order

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

20:2

20:2a

20:2b

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