PROV 22:16 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

22:16

In Hebrew, this verse has two parallel lines. They have been divided into three lines here to show the relationships more clearly.

^16aOppressing the poor to enrich oneself

^16bor giving gifts to the rich

^16cwill surely lead to poverty.

There are three main ways to interpret this verse:Scholars who support interpretation (1): Waltke, Longman, UBS, and Ross; interpretation (2): Fox and Hubbard; interpretation (3): Murphy, Kidner, Delitzsch, and Cohen. See Waltke (pages 196–197 and 216) for a comprehensive discussion of all the issues, including arguments against some of the other interpretations.

There are two different strategies for becoming wealthier. One strategy is to oppress the poor. The other is to give gifts to the rich. Both strategies will fail. For example:
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, GNT)
Oppressing the poor makes them rich. Giving gifts to the rich makes them poor. For example:
Harsh treatment enriches the poor, but a gift impoverishes the rich. (NJB) (NJB)
A person who oppresses the poor becomes wealthier. A person who gives gifts to the rich becomes poor. For example:
Oppression of the poor brings gain, but giving to the rich leads only to penury. (REB) (REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions.

There are several variations of this interpretation:

Some versions, such as the NIV, refer to different people who do different things and who both become poor.
Other versions, such as the ESV, refer to one person who does either or both things and who becomes poor.
Still other versions refer to two different actions or strategies that both result in poverty. These strategies could be used by the same person or by different people.Waltke (pages 196–197). For example:
Oppressing the poor for profit or giving to the rich certainly leads to poverty. (GW)

You may use any of these variations in your translation.

22:16a

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself

A person who causes hardship to those who are poor so that he can get more money for himself
If a person tries to become rich by mistreating/cheating poor people

Oppressing the poor to enrich oneself: This line refers to a person who causes hardship to poor people in order to make himself wealthier. Oppressing them by not paying them fair wages, by cheating them, or by charging them high rates of interest. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Cheat the poor to make profit (CEV)

Whoever mistreats the poor in order to get rich

22:16a–c

(combined/reordered)

If you^(sing) cause hardship to the poor in order to get rich, you will become poor yourself. The same thing will happen if you give gifts to those who are rich.

22:16b

or giving gifts to the rich

and a person who gives gifts/bribes to those who are rich to gain their help/favor
or by giving gifts/bribes to influence rich people,

or giving gifts to the rich: It is implied from the first line that the person who gives gifts to the rich intends to benefit himself. These gifts may be bribes to win a business contract. They may also be gifts that are intended to gain the help and favor of the rich. Some other ways to translate this line are:

or gives gifts to the rich— (CEV)

and whoever bribes the rich to gain their help

22:16c

will surely lead to poverty.

will both become poor in the end.
the result will be the same. Either way he will lose his money/wealth.

will surely lead to poverty: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “only to poverty/lack.” You may translate it so that it refers to a person or persons who become poor, as in the NIV, or ESV. You may also translate it so that it refers to actions that result in poverty or loss, as in the GW or the CEV. Here is another way to translate this:

either way you lose (CEV)

General Comment on 22:16a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

If you make gifts to rich people or oppress the poor to get rich, you will become poor yourself. (GNT)

See also 22:16a–c (combined/reordered) in the Display.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל לְ⁠הַרְבּ֣וֹת ל֑⁠וֹ נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝⁠עָשִׁ֗יר

oppresses poor to,increase to=him/it gives to,a_rich_[person]

One who oppresses, a lowly one, himself, one who gives, and a rich one refer to types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural phrases. Alternate translation: “Any person who oppresses any lowly person to increase for himself, any person who gives to any rich person”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דָּ֭ל

poor

See how you translated the same use of lowly in [10:15](../10/15.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

לְ⁠הַרְבּ֣וֹת

to,increase

Solomon is leaving out a word that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply this word from the context if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “to increase wealth”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝⁠עָשִׁ֗יר

gives to,a_rich_[person]

This phrase refers to someone who does a different activity than the person described in the previous clause. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly, as in the UST.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

נֹתֵ֥ן לְ֝⁠עָשִׁ֗יר

gives to,a_rich_[person]

Solomon is leaving out some words that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the context and previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “one who gives gifts to a rich one to increase wealth”

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

לְ⁠מַחְסֽוֹר

to,lack

Here, will be to indicates that what follows is the result of what came before. Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a result of what came before. Alternate translation: “will result in poverty”

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 22:16

Hebrew word order