PROV 22:10 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

22:10

In this proverb, the first line consists of a command followed by the result of obeying that command. The second line gives additional, parallel results.

^10aDrive out the mocker, and conflict will depart;

^10b even quarreling and insults will cease.

22:10a

Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart;

Make^(sing) a mocker/scoffer leave, and arguments/misunderstanding will end.
If there is someone who mocks/scoffs, expel/banish him. Then there will be no more fighting.

Drive out the mocker: This clause is a command to expel or banish a mocker from the group or community to which he belongs. It is implied that the mocker has been causing strife. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Expel the scoffer (NJPS)

Throw out the mocker (NLT)

mocker: The word mocker last occurred in 21:24a. See how you translated the word there. Also see mocker in the Glossary.

and conflict will depart: When the mocker is gone, the strife will stop. The word that the BSB translates here as conflict probably refers to misunderstandings, conflicts, or quarrels. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and there will be no more misunderstandings

quarrels will stop

22:10a–b

(combined/reordered)

If you^(sing)/we^(incl) exclude people who make fun of others, there will no longer be anyone to cause quarrels, fights, or shame/disgrace.

22:10b

even quarreling and insults will cease.

There will also be no more lawsuits/fighting and insults.
People will also stop arguing with one another and insulting/shaming one another.

even quarreling and insults will cease: The word that the BSB translates as quarreling usually has a legal connotation. It may refer specifically here to lawsuits. For example:

law-suits…die down (NJB)

It may also refer more generally to quarrels or arguments.UBS (page 467), Toy (page 417), HALOT (#2054) and NIDOTTE (H1907) prefer the more general meaning. Fox (page 700) and BDB (#1779) prefer the specific legal sense. Most scholars and versions prefer the more general meaning, but you may translate either way. If your language does not use different general words for quarreling and “conflict” (22:10a), you may use a specific word such as “lawsuit.”

insults: The word that the BSB translates here as insults is also translated as “shame” or “disgrace.” It refers here to the kind of verbal abuse that often occurs in a quarrel. Insults of this nature shame or dishonor other people.NIDOTTE (H7830), HALOT (#8388), and TWOT (#2024a) uses glosses such as “shame,” “dishonor,” “disgrace,” “contempt,” and “ignominy.” Hubbard (page 270) suggests that this word refers to the shame that scoffers inflict on others by their “nasty talk” during disputes. UBS (page 467) agrees.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

quarreling and abuse will cease (NRSV)

Quarrels and insults will disappear. (NLT)

General Comment on 22:10a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel verbs “drive out” and “will cease” and to list the three results together. For example:

Get rid of the one who makes fun of wisdom. Then fighting, quarrels, and insults will stop. (NCV)

Get rid of a conceited person, and then there will be no more arguments, quarreling, or name-calling. (GNT)

In some languages, it may also be more natural to change the command in the first line to an “if” clause. For example:

If you drive out a mocker, there will be no more fighting, quarreling, or insults.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

לֵ֭ץ

scoffer

See how you translated a mocker in [9:7](../09/07.md)

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מָד֑וֹן & וְ⁠קָלֽוֹן

strife & and,shame

See how you translated the abstract nouns strife in [16:28](../16/28.md) and dishonor in [3:35](../03/35.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וְ⁠יֵצֵ֣א מָד֑וֹן

and,it_will_go_out strife

Here Solomon speaks of strife as if it were a person who could go out from a place. He means that strife will cease. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and strife will leave”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

דִּ֣ין

quarrelling

Here, judgment could refer to: (1) arguments or quarrels in general. Alternate translation: “argument” (2) lawsuits in a legal court. Alternate translation: “lawsuit”

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 22:10