PROV 23:27 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 23:26–28 Saying 17

This saying begins with a general command: the father urges his son to carefully follow his advice (23:26). This command applies specifically to Saying 17, but it may also introduce Saying 18.According to Toy (page 436), the admonition in 23:26 applies to both of the topics that follow. In 23:27–28, the father warns his son about the dangers of getting involved with an immoral woman.

23:27

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^27aFor a prostitute is a deep pit,

^27band an adulteress is a narrow well.

Both lines are metaphors. They compare two types of immoral women to dangerous places that can trap an animal or person.

23:27a–b

(combined/reordered)

Because a prostitute and a woman who commits adultery are like a deep pit or a narrow well.
Women who sleep with more than one man are like a dangerous trap. If you^(sing) get caught in such a trap, you will not escape.

For: This verse gives a specific motivation or reason for the son to pay attention to his father’s admonition in 23:26. The reason is that an immoral woman is a source of danger from which it is difficult to escape. It is implied that the son will avoid this danger if he heeds the warning.

Some versions leave it implied that this is a reason. For example:

A prostitute is a deep pit. (GW)

Introduce this reason in a natural way in your language.

a prostitute…an adulteress: The first phrase refers to a woman who charges a fee for men to have sex with her. In Hebrew, the second phrase usually means “foreign woman” or “strange woman.” In Proverbs, it refers to a wife who commits adultery.

Together, these parallel phrases refer to any immoral woman. They include both unmarried and married women.

Some ways to translate these parallel phrases are:

a prostitute…a wayward wife (NIV)

a woman who sells her body…a woman who is not faithful to her husband

Many languages have euphemisms to refer to having sex with immoral women. Use terms in your language that will not cause embarrassment if this verse is read in public.

For more information, see the note on prostitute in 6:26a. See also the note on adulteress in 6:24b.

a deep pit…a narrow well: A pit and a well differ in several ways. A hunter digs a pit in order to trap a larger animal. This pit is usually covered over with branches or leaves in order to hide it. A person digs a well so he can have a source of water.

However, in these parallel metaphors, a deep pit and a narrow well have similar characteristics. Immoral women are similar to both of these:According to Waltke (page 261), Fox (page 739), and Longman (page 430), the metaphors of a deep pit and a narrow well refer to the woman’s vagina.

For a person to get involved with an immoral woman is dangerous and leads to death.
The dangers are hidden, so the victims do not suspect the disastrous consequences.
An animal or person that has fallen into a deep pit or a narrow well cannot escape. Similarly, a man that has become involved in adultery will be unable to escape the bad consequences.

One way to translate these parallel metaphors is to change the metaphors to similes. Make explicit one or more of the implied similarities. For example:

^27aA prostitute is as dangerous as a deep pit.

^27band an unfaithful wife is like a narrow well. (NCV)

See the notes on 22:14a for a similar comparison. That verse has the identical phrase “a deep pit.” But there, the comparison involves the “mouth of an adulteress.”

General Comment on 23:27a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder one or more of the parallel parts. For example:

Bad women and unfaithful wives are like a deep pit (CEV)

Prostitutes and immoral women are a deadly trap. (GNT)

23:27a

For a prostitute is a deep pit,

For a prostitute is dangerous. She is like a deep pit.

23:27b

and an adulteress is a narrow well.

Similarly, an adulteress is like a narrow well. If you^(sing) fall in there, you cannot get out.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

כִּֽי־שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וּ⁠בְאֵ֥ר צָ֝רָ֗ה נָכְרִיָּֽה

that/for/because/then/when pit deep prostitute and_[is],a_well narrow adulteress

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The second emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could connect the phrases with a word other than and to show that the second phrase is repeating the first one, not saying something additional. Alternate translation: “For a prostitute is a deep pit: yes, a foreign woman is a narrow well”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה זוֹנָ֑ה וּ⁠בְאֵ֥ר צָ֝רָ֗ה נָכְרִיָּֽה

pit deep prostitute and_[is],a_well narrow adulteress

Here, a prostitute, a deep pit, a foreign woman, and a narrow well refer to these things and types of people in general, not to specific things or people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “any prostitute is a deep pit, and any foreign woman is a narrow well”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

שׁוּחָ֣ה עֲמֻקָּ֣ה

pit deep

See how you translated this phrase in [22:14](../22/14.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נָכְרִיָּֽה

adulteress

See how you translated this phrase in [2:16](../02/16.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠בְאֵ֥ר צָ֝רָ֗ה

and_[is],a_well narrow

Here, the writer speaks of the inescapable danger of a foreign woman as if she were a narrow well that a person could fall into and not get out of. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “and … is dangerous” or “and … is dangerous like a narrow well”

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 23:27

Hebrew word order