PROV 23:13 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 22:17–24:22: Here are thirty sayings of wise people

This section follows the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (10:1–22:16). It differs in significant ways from this preceding section:These differences were summarized from a number of commentaries, including UBS (page 472), Waltke (2004, page 22), and Hubbard (page 351).

The preceding section has mostly two-line proverbs that are one verse in length. This section has proverbs of a different form. They are sayings that range from one to seven verses. Most of the sayings are two or three verses in length. Each saying will be marked as a separate paragraph in the Notes.
Many of the proverbs in the preceding section express a general principle. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. Most of the sayings here contain direct commands. They advise the reader or listener either to follow wise behavior or avoid foolish behavior. Most of the sayings also give a reason or motive for following the command.
As in chapters 1–9, the author addresses his reader or listener as a father who advises his son. He uses second person commands and pronouns (you^(sing)). See the note on 23:15 for a list of verses where the words “my son” occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

Thirty Wise Sayings (CEV)

Words of the Wise (ESV)

Thirty Sayings of the Wise (NIV11)

Verse 22:20 mentions “thirty sayings,” but the Hebrew text itself does not number the sayings. Some versions that use the word “thirty” in the section heading also give a number as a separate heading for each saying. The GNT and CEV start numbering the sayings at 22:22. They have a total of thirty-one paragraphs. In these versions, the first paragraph (22:17–21) serves as an introduction to the thirty sayings (22:22–24:22).Scholars who identify 22:17–21 as the first saying include Hubbard (page 352), Fox (page 707), and Waltke (2004, page 22). Scholars who identify these verses as an introduction to the sayings that follow include Whybray (page 325) and Murphy (page 170). See also the NET footnote (b) on 22:16. Whether these introductory verses form the first saying or simply introduce the following sayings, all scholars agree that they function as an introduction to the whole section. Other versions, such as the NIV, NCV, and NLT, divide the paragraphs in the same way but do not have separate headings for each section. You may use either option in your translation.The NIV11 gives a number as a separate heading for each saying. But it counts the first paragraph as the first saying, and has a total of thirty paragraphs. Other versions have more or fewer paragraphs. For example, the ESV and NRSV have fifteen paragraphs. The NJB has thirty-four. Still other versions, such as the RSV, NET, and NJPS, do not group the verses into sayings or paragraphs.

For the convenience of those who decide to identify the number of each saying in their translation, the Notes will put the number in the paragraph headings, using the same numbering system as the GNT or CEV. These numbers will not be used in the Display.

Paragraph 23:13–14 Saying 12

This saying reassures parents that physical punishment will have a positive effect in a child’s life. It will spare him from a premature death.

Verses 23:13b and 23:14b both describe the result of punishing a child by giving him a beating. Verse 23:13b explains what will not happen. Verse 23:14b explains what will happen. Together the two verses imply that if parents do not discipline their children, the children will die as a result.

Proverbs with a similar theme include 19:18 and 22:15. See the notes on those two verses. Make sure that you account for the similarities and differences when you translate this saying. In 22:15, the words for “discipline,” “rod,” and “child” are the same as here.

23:13

In this verse, the second line specifies the kind of “discipline” that is referred to in the first line. The underlined part in the second line also states in a positive way the underlined negative command in the first line. Both underlined parts encourage the parent to discipline a child.

^13a Do not withhold discipline from a child;

^13balthough you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

23:13a

Do not withhold discipline from a child;

¶ Do not refrain from disciplining your^(sing) child.
¶ Do not be afraid/hesitant to punish your children,

Do not withhold discipline from a child: In Hebrew, this command indicates that a parent should not hold back or refrain from disciplining a child. He should not refuse to punish him when the child has done something that deserves punishment.

discipline: In Hebrew, this is the same word that the BSB translated as “instruction” in 23:12a. This word can refer to moral instruction. It can also refer to verbal or physical correction. In this context, it clearly refers to physical punishment that is intended to correct a child’s behavior. See discipline in the Glossary.

a child: In Hebrew, the word that the BSB translates here as child can refer to any male from infancy up to early adulthood. In this context, the word you choose should not refer only to a small child. It should also refer to an older child or a young person.UBS (page 494). As with similar verses in Proverbs, the word used here is not intended to exclude female children.

Some other ways to translate this command are:

Don’t fail to punish children. (NCV)

Do not hesitate to discipline a child. (GW)

23:13b

although you strike him with a rod, he will not die.

Even though you^(sing) hit/beat him with a cane/stick, he will not die.
because a whipping/spanking will not cause them to die.

although you strike him with a rod: In Hebrew, this line is more literally “you will strike him with the rod.”In Hebrew, verse 23:13b begins with the word ki, which is often translated as “for.” According to Waltke (page 252) this word has two functions here. It introduces the reason for following the advice of 23:13a. It also introduces the first part of a conditional statement, followed by the result “he will not die.” Some English versions use a different construction with an implied conditional meaning. For example, the NJB has: “a stroke of the cane is not likely to be fatal.” It is also possible that ki has a concessive meaning. The NET “even if you strike him…” and NASB “Although you strike him…” both understand this meaning. Scott (page 140) also translates it this way. It refers to a spanking or whipping administered with a cane, rod, or stick. Another way to translate this clause is:

If you beat him with a rod (NJPS)

In some languages, it may be more natural to not specify what is used to strike the child. For example:

If you spank them (NCV)

he will not die: There are two ways to interpret this clause:

The child will not die from the whipping. In other words, the whipping will not cause his death. For example:
even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die (NET)
A good spanking won’t kill them. (GNT) (BSB, CEV, NET, NASB, NJB, NLT, GNT)
The whipping will cause the child not to die. It will keep him from an early death. For example:
take the stick to him, and save him from death (REB) (REB)

Many English versions, such as the NIV, ESV, GW, NCV, NJPS, and NRSV are ambiguous. If you can translate in a way that allows either interpretation, you may do so. Both interpretations fit the context and normal patterns of parallelism. Both have good commentary support.

If you need to choose one interpretation, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions.Interpretation (1) is the more natural meaning of the verse in isolation. With this interpretation, verse 23:13b gives a slightly humorous but natural reassurance to a parent that even a severe whipping will not kill the child. Commentaries that support interpretation (2) think that 23:13b should have the same meaning as the parallel statement in 23:14. This verse clearly implies that painful discipline will spare the child from a premature death later on. Both types of parallelism are common in Proverbs. Scholars who support interpretation (1) include Delitzsch, Scott, and Hubbard. Scholars who support interpretation (2) include Waltke, Fox, Toy, Cohen, and Murphy. UBS mentions both views but does not recommend one view over another. Kidner remarks that the child “will not only survive it (the discipline), he will survive because of it” (page 152).

uW Translation Notes:

[23:13](../23/13.md)–[14](../23/14.md) is Saying 12 of the 30 “words of the wise ones.”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אַל־תִּמְנַ֣ע & מוּסָ֑ר

not withhold & discipline

Here, the writer speaks of refusing to discipline a child as if discipline were an object that a parent refuses to give to his child. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Do not hold back discipline”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מוּסָ֑ר

discipline

See how you translated the abstract noun discipline in [13:24](../13/24.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מִ⁠נַּ֣עַר & תַכֶּ֥⁠נּוּ & לֹ֣א יָמֽוּת

from,a_youth & you,will_strike_him & not die

Here, a boy, him, and he refer to children in general, not to a specific boy. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated the same use of boy and he in [22:6](../22/06.md). Alternate translation: “from any child … you strike that child … that child will not die”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

תַכֶּ֥⁠נּוּ בַ֝⁠שֵּׁ֗בֶט

you,will_strike_him with,rod

This phrase refers to a form of punishment that involved hitting a person with a rod. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a general expression for physical punishment. Alternate translation: “you punish him physically” or “you punish him by hitting him with a rod”

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.