PROV 21:24 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

21:24

The first line of this proverb describes the character of a mocker. The second line describes how he acts.

^24aMocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—

^24bof him who acts with excessive pride.

21:24a

Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—

A person who is proud and haughty/arrogant is called “Mocker/Scoffer” by others.
A person who always mocks other people keeps thinking of his own importance. He refuses to value/respect the thoughts of others.

Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man: In Hebrew this phrase has no verb. It is literally “proud arrogant mocker [is] his name.”BART interlinear.

The purpose of this phrase is to describe the kind of person who is known or identified as Mocker. Mocker is the word that people use to refer to him. It is not his real name. Some ways to translate this phrase are:

Use a capital letter to indicate that Mocker functions as a name or title. For example:
The proud, haughty person, named “Scoffer,” (NRSV)
Use a small letter to indicate that people are identifying a character quality when they speak of the person. For example:
An arrogant, conceited person is called a mocker. (GW)
If you are proud and conceited, everyone will say, “You’re a snob!” (CEV)
Describe the character trait without referring explicitly to what the person is named or called. For example:
Mockers are proud and haughty (NLT)

The three closely related Hebrew words that the BSB translates as proud, arrogant, and Mocker overlap in meaning.

Mocker: A person who is “proud” and “arrogant” treats others with scorn. He “mocks” or makes fun of both other people and God. See mocker in the Glossary.

proud: The adjective form proud occurs only here in Proverbs.In Hebrew, the adjective and noun forms used here are zed and zadon, respectively. Several forms of the Hebrew root gʾh are also translated by the BSB as “proud” or “pride.” (See Proverbs 14:3, 16:18–19 for examples.) They are close synonyms of zed and zadon. In most of its occurrences elsewhere, the BSB translates it as “arrogant.” The noun form “pride” occurs in 11:2a, 13:10a, and 21:24b.

A proud person thinks about his own importance. He is also presumptuous and insolent. He assumes that he can do what he wants. So he refuses to respect other people’s opinions or to accept the authority of others, including God.TWOT (#547a), NIDOTTE (H2294, H2295), Waltke (page 186).

arrogant: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as arrogant occurs only here in Proverbs. It refers to a person who is self-centered and is unwilling to learn or submit to God.TWOT (#851a), NIDOTTE (H3400).

All three of these words describe a person who is aggressively proud.Waltke (page 186). In many languages, it will be possible to use a combination of words, phrases, or idioms to translate the same range of meaning.

21:24b

of him who acts with excessive pride.

There is no limit to his pride.
So he acts with extreme pride and anger.

of him who acts with excessive pride: The word that the BSB translates here as excessive is literally “anger” or “excess/outburst.” It means “wrath” or “anger” in most of the OT verses where it occurs.The other verses in Proverbs where the noun form occurs are 11:4a, 11:23b, 14:35b, and 22:8b. The BSB translates 11:4a and 11:23b as “wrath,” 14:35b as “anger” and 22:8b as “fury.” In this context, it probably refers to an “outburst” or “excess” of pride. It probably also implies anger. Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

they act with boundless arrogance (NLT)

His arrogance knows no limits. (GW)

one who behaves with insolent furyThis wording is Waltke’s own translation (page 163).

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר & שְׁמ֑⁠וֹ

proud haughty & his/its=name

A presumptuous, haughty one and his represent a type of person in general, not one particular person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any presumptuous, haughty one … is that person’s name”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְׁמ֑⁠וֹ

his/its=name

Here, name refers to what people call a presumptuous, haughty one, not that person’s actual name. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is what people call him”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בְּ⁠עֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן

in_[the],overflowing_of pride

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe rage that is characterized by presumption. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “with presumptuous rage”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ⁠עֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן

in_[the],overflowing_of pride

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of rage or presumption, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: “in an arrogantly furious manner”

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 21:24

Hebrew word order

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

21:24

21:24a

21:24b

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