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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 20 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V28 V29 V30

OET interlinear PROV 20:27

◄ ← PROV 20:27 ↓ → ► ║ ©

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. נֵר
    2. 394281
    3. The lamp of
    4. -
    6. P-Ncmsc
    7. the_lamp_of
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274918
    1. יְהוָה
    2. 394282
    3. YHWH
    4. Yahweh's
    5. 3068
    6. P-Np
    7. of_Yahweh
    8. -
    9. Person=God; Y-1000
    10. 274919
    1. נִשְׁמַת
    2. 394283
    3. +is +the breath of
    4. -
    5. 5397
    6. S-Ncfsc
    7. [is_the]_breath_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274920
    1. אָדָם
    2. 394284
    3. a human
    4. human
    5. 120
    6. S-Ncmsa
    7. a_human
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274921
    1. חֹפֵשׂ
    2. 394285
    3. it +is searching
    4. →searching
    5. 2664
    6. V-Vqrmsa
    7. [it_is]_searching
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274922
    1. כָּל
    2. 394286
    3. all of
    4. -
    5. 3605
    6. O-Ncmsc
    7. all_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274923
    2. 394287
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 274924
    1. חַדְרֵי
    2. 394288
    3. +the chambers of
    4. -
    5. 2315
    6. O-Ncmpc
    7. [the]_chambers_of
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274925
    2. 394289
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-maqqef
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 274926
    1. בָטֶן
    2. 394290
    3. +the belly
    4. -
    5. 990
    6. O-Ncfsa
    7. [the]_belly
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274927
    2. 394291
    3. -
    4. -
    6. -x-sof-pasuq
    8. -
    9. -
    10. 274928

OET (OET-LV) The_lamp_of YHWH is_the_breath_of a_human it_is_searching all_of the_chambers_of the_belly.

OET (OET-RV) The human spirit is Yahweh’s lamp,
 ⇔ → searching all the innermost parts.

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

20:27

In Hebrew, the two lines of this verse form a single sentence. The first line of this verse identifies a person’s spirit as the lamp of the LORD. The second line tells what the spirit/lamp reveals.

27aThe spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,

27bsearching out his inmost being.

The NRSV has been used as the source line, because it follows the recommended interpretation for 20:27a.

20:27a

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,

The spirit20:27 Or breath or speech of a man is the lamp of the LORD: There are two main ways to interpret this clause:

  1. This clause identifies the human spirit as the lamp of the LORD. For example:

    A person’s soul is the Lord’s lamp. (GW) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NET, NIV11, NJB, NJPS, NRSV)

  2. This clause indicates that the lamp of the LORD reveals a person’s spirit. It does not identify the lamp of the LORD. For example:

    The lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man (NIV) (NIV, NLT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars.In Hebrew, there is no verb in the first line. It is common to put two noun phrases side by side with no verb between them. English versions usually supply a form of the verb “to be” in such contexts. The NIV has supplied the verb “searches” from the second line. Usually, with an ellipsis, Hebrew has a verb in the first line and omits it in the second line.

This clause is a metaphor. It compares the human spirit to a lamp that the LORD uses or provides to mankind.

The phrase that the BSB translates as the spirit of a man is literally “the breath of a human.”BART interlinear gloss. This is a reference to “the breath of life” that God breathed into man (Genesis 2:7). Here it represents a person’s spirit. It is the part of a person that enables him to think, to make moral decisions, and to relate to God.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

20:27b

searching out his inmost being.

searching out his inmost being: This phrase continues the metaphor that compares the human spirit to a lamp. It describes one of the functions of the human spirit. A lamp illuminates the darkest corners of a room. Similarly, the spirit, mind, or conscience of a human being enables him to examine his inmost being. It reveals to him the kind of person that he is.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

searching the deepest self (NJB)

exposing every hidden motive (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה נִשְׁמַ֣ת אָדָ֑ם חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ כָּל־חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן

lamp_of YHWH breath_of humankind searching all/each/any/every parts_of inmost_being

Here, a man, the lamp, and the belly refer to these things and people in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “The breath of any person is a lamp of Yahweh, searching all the rooms of that person’s belly”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

נִשְׁמַ֣ת

breath_of

Here, breath refers to the inner spiritual part of a human being, which Yahweh gave to the first man by breathing it into him ([Genesis 2:7](../gen/02/07.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The spirit of”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה

lamp_of YHWH

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a lamp that is given by Yahweh. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “is the lamp from Yahweh”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נֵ֣ר יְ֭הוָה & חֹ֝פֵ֗שׂ

lamp_of YHWH & searching

Here Solomon speaks of a person’s spirit helping that person understand himself as if it were a lamp that searches within that person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “is what Yahweh has given him to discern” or “is like a lamp of Yahweh that searches”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

חַדְרֵי־בָֽטֶן

parts_of inmost_being

See how you translated this phrase in [18:8](../18/08.md).

TSN Tyndale Study Notes:

20:27 The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit: God sees deep into people’s hearts (see 16:2).

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. The lamp of
    2. -
    3. 5032
    5. 394281
    6. P-Ncmsc
    8. S
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274918
    1. YHWH
    2. Yahweh's
    3. 3354
    5. 394282
    6. P-Np
    8. -
    9. Person=God; Y-1000
    10. 274919
    1. +is +the breath of
    2. -
    3. 4970
    5. 394283
    6. S-Ncfsc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274920
    1. a human
    2. human
    3. 638
    5. 394284
    6. S-Ncmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274921
    1. it +is searching
    2. →searching
    3. 2609
    5. 394285
    6. V-Vqrmsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274922
    1. all of
    2. -
    3. 3671
    5. 394286
    6. O-Ncmsc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274923
    1. +the chambers of
    2. -
    3. 2376
    5. 394288
    6. O-Ncmpc
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274925
    1. +the belly
    2. -
    3. 1055
    5. 394290
    6. O-Ncfsa
    8. -
    9. Y-1000
    10. 274927

OET (OET-LV) The_lamp_of YHWH is_the_breath_of a_human it_is_searching all_of the_chambers_of the_belly.

OET (OET-RV) The human spirit is Yahweh’s lamp,
 ⇔ → searching all the innermost parts.

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 20:27 ↑ → ► ║ ©