PROV 22:5 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

22:5

This proverb contrasts a wicked person with a person who guards his life. A wicked person follows a path that is filled with various kinds of obstacles and dangers. In contrast, a person who guards his life is careful to avoid that kind of path, along with the dangers associated with it.

^5a Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse

^5b he who guards his soul stays far from them.

22:5a

Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse;

The path that crooked/wicked people follow is filled with difficulties and dangers.
The life of a wicked/crooked person is dangerous. It is like a path that is full of thorn bushes and bird traps/snares.

Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse: There is a textual issue here:

The Masoretic Text (MT) has “thorns and snares.” For example:
Thorns and snares (ESV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)
Based on the Syriac translation, some scholars think that the original text was “traps and snares.”UBS (page 464). For example:
Snares and pitfalls (REB) (REB, GNT)The GNT has combined the two terms into one term “traps.”

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions. This text is supported by the Greek translation (LXX).

The main argument against option (1) is that “thorns” do not seem compatible with “snares.”This argument is mentioned by Waltke (page 194), Ross (page 1060), Toy (page 415), and McKane (page 565). In favor of option (1) is the argument that “thorns” are a natural danger, whereas “traps” are a man-made danger. So actually, they make an appropriate pair.Hubbard (page 343). Also, the idea of “thorns” in the path occurs in 15:19.

Verse 22:5a has more than one metaphor. The life and conduct of a wicked person are compared to a path that is blocked with thorns and snares. The thorns and snares represent the difficulties and dangers that a wicked person faces due to the wrong choices he has made.NET footnote, UBS (page 464), Longman (page 401). Some ways to translate these metaphors are:

Keep the metaphors. For example:
Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse (NET)
Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road (NLT)
Change one or more of the metaphors to a simile. For example:
Evil people’s lives are like paths covered with thorns and traps. (NCV)

Thorns: This word probably refers to thorn bushes or bramble bushes that could block a person’s path.Hubbard (page 343).

snares: This word was last used in 7:23b. It refers to a net or trap that was used to catch birds.Waltke (page 203). Hubbard (page 343) describes this kind of snare as a pair of frames strung with a net. When the bird triggered the snare, the frames clapped together, catching the bird in the net.

the perverse: In Hebrew, this word refers to a person who is morally defective, crooked, or twisted. See the note on the phrase “The perverse” in 11:20a.

22:5b

he who guards his soul stays far from them.

The person who guards/protects his life is careful not to follow this path.
If you^(sing) value your life, you will stay far from these dangerous things.

he who guards his soul stays far from them: In Hebrew, this clause does not begin with a conjunction. Some English versions leave the relationship implied. For example:

whoever values his life will stay at a distance (NJB)

he who guards his soul: The phrase guards his soul means “protects or preserves his life.” A person who guards his life values it. He is cautious and is careful to protect himself from trouble or danger.NIDOTTE (H9068), Hubbard (page 343), Toy (page 415). Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

whoever values life (NJB)

People who guard themselves (NCV)

A person who wants to preserve/protect his life

The same phrase (“guards his soul/life”) also occurs in 13:3a, 16:17b, and 19:16a. See the notes in those verses for more translation advice.

stays far from them: The plural pronoun them refers back to “thorns and snares.” A person who values and protects his life stays far away from the dangers that face a wicked person. It is implied that he also avoids taking the same path as wicked people.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

will stay at a distance (NJB)

will avoid it (NLT)

will stay far away from that dangerous path

General Comment on 22:5a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reword these two lines as “if” clauses. For example:

^5aIf you are a wicked person, many thorn bushes and snares will block your path.

^5bIf you value your life, you will avoid these dangers.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

בְּ⁠דֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ

[are]_in_[the],path_of perverse guards_of self_of,his

Here, the way, the crooked one, and one who guards his life represent ways and types of people in general, not a specific way or people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “are in the ways of the crooked ones; those who guard their lives”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

צִנִּ֣ים פַּ֭חִים בְּ⁠דֶ֣רֶךְ עִקֵּ֑שׁ

thorns snares [are]_in_[the],path_of perverse

Here Solomon speaks of bad things that the crooked one will experience during his lifetime as if his life were a path with Thorns and traps on it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the same use of way in [15:19](../15/19.md). Alternate translation: “The crooked one will experience many troubles during his lifetime” or “The crooked one will have a difficult life”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

עִקֵּ֑שׁ

perverse

Here Solomon uses the crooked to refer to being deceptive. See how you translated the same use of crooked in [2:15](../02/15.md).

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ

guards_of self_of,his

The content of this clause is in contrast to the content of the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “by contrast, one who guards his life”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שׁוֹמֵ֥ר נַ֝פְשׁ֗⁠וֹ

guards_of self_of,his

Here Solomon speaks of a person who wants to stay alive as if his life were something that he guards. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar phrase “protects his life” in [16:17](../16/17.md). Alternate translation: “one who tries to keep himself alive”

Note 6 topic: writing-pronouns

מֵ⁠הֶֽם

from,them

Here, them refers to the Thorns and traps mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “from those thorns and traps”

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.