PROV 23:29 Interlinear View

23:29 OSHB variant note: מדונים: (x-qere) ’מִדְיָנִ֨ים’: lemma_4079 n_1.1.0 morph_HNcmpa id_20BVw מִדְיָנִ֨ים

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 23:29–35 Saying 18

In this saying, the father indirectly warns his son not to get drunk. He first asks him to identify the kind of person who experiences the effects of drinking (23:29–30). He then warns him to avoid the tempting appearance and taste of wine and gives him a reason for the warning (23:31–32). Finally, he describes what a drunk person imagines, says (23:33) and feels (23:33–34). The last verse gives the drunk person’s concluding words (23:35).UBS (page 506), Fox (page 741), Ross (page 1072).

23:29

In this verse, the father asks the young man six questions. These questions are like a riddle.Hubbard (page 367). They ask the young man to guess the kind of person who is being described.

^29aWho has woe? Who has sorrow?

^29bWho has contentions? Who has complaints?

^29cWho has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?

Each question has the same answer. The writer gives the answer in 23:30. See the General Comment after the note in 23:30b for a way to reorder these verses.

23:29a

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

¶ Who has many troubles/problems? Who says, “Oh, I feel miserable!”?
¶ Think^(sing) about the kind of people who are miserable and have many causes for regret.

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?: In Hebrew, the word woe is normally used as an exclamation. The word sorrow is probably used in the same way. These words probably express the drunkard’s feelings of frustration and despair.UBS (page 506), Hubbard (page 367). Fox (page 741) suggests that the drunkard exclaims these words the following morning. Waltke (page 262) agrees that these are cries uttered by the drunkard, but thinks that they express “threat and denunciation” to someone else. For example:

Who groans “Alas!”? Who cries “Woe is me!”?This is Scott’s original translation (page 142). Longman’s translation (page 430) is very similar.

If your language has one or more exclamations that would be appropriate in this context, consider using them here.

You may also use questions that are similar to the BSB. Some other ways to translate these questions are:

Who has trouble? Who has misery? (NLT)

Who continually feels pain and sorrow/remorse?

23:29b

Who has contentions? Who has complaints?

Who is always arguing and complaining?
They are quick to fight with others. They grumble/complain.

Who has contentions?: The word that the BSB translates here as contentions refers to both quarrels and fights. The BSB translates the same Hebrew word as “quarrels” in 18:18. Some other ways to translate this question are:

Who is always fighting? (NLT)

Who argues and fights? (CEV)

Who always causes trouble?This question was adapted from the statement in the GNT.

Who has complaints?: This question may result from the previous one. A person who gets into arguments and fights often has difficulties to complain about. Another way to translate this question is?

Who is always complaining? (NLT)

23:29c

Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?

Whose body is covered with bruises for no good reason? Whose eyes are red?
They don’t remember where their cuts and bruises came from, and their eyes are bleary/bloodshot.

Who has needless wounds?: The phrase needless wounds refers here to the cuts and bruises that a drunk person receives when he gets into a fight. The word that the BSB translates as needless is more literally “without cause.” This word may mean that:

There was no need for a fight. The wounds occurred for no good reason. For example:
Who has unnecessary bruises? (NCV)
Who has bruises that could have been avoided?This question was adapted from the statement in the GNT.
The injured person was not aware of the cause. He may have been too drunk. He may also have been injured by a random blow. For example:
Who gets the bruises without knowing why? (REB)
Who is struck by a random blow?

You may use any of these ideas to translate this question in your language.

Who has bloodshot eyes?: In Hebrew, bloodshot eyes is literally “darkness of eyes.”Fox (page 741). It may refer to:

Eyes that are red or bloodshot. For example:
Whose eyes are red? (CEV)
Eyes that are cloudy or glazed. For example:
Who has bleary eyes? (NJPS)

Both of these fit the context well. They are equally acceptable. Use a natural expression in your language that refers to the eyes of a person who has had too much to drink.

uW Translation Notes:

[23:29](../23/29.md)–[35](../23/35.md) is Saying 18 of the 30 “words of the wise ones.”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

לְ⁠מִ֨י א֥וֹי לְ⁠מִ֪י אֲב֡וֹי לְ⁠מִ֤י מדונים ׀ לְ⁠מִ֥י שִׂ֗יחַ לְ֭⁠מִי פְּצָעִ֣ים חִנָּ֑ם לְ֝⁠מִ֗י חַכְלִל֥וּת עֵינָֽיִם

[belongs]_to,whom? woe [belongs]_to,whom? sorrow [belong]_to,whom? strife [belongs]_to,whom? bush/shrub_of [belong]_to,whom? wounds without_cause [belongs]_to,whom? redness_of eyes

The writer uses these questions to prepare the reader for the point he is about to make about “those who linger over wine” in the next verse. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: “I will tell you what kind of person has woe, sorrow, quarrels, lament, wounds without reason, and dullness of eyes.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לְ⁠מִ֨י א֥וֹי לְ⁠מִ֪י אֲב֡וֹי לְ⁠מִ֤י מדונים ׀ לְ⁠מִ֥י שִׂ֗יחַ

[belongs]_to,whom? woe [belongs]_to,whom? sorrow [belong]_to,whom? strife [belongs]_to,whom? bush/shrub_of

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of woe, sorrow, quarrels, and lament, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: “Who is woeful? Who is sorrowful? Who is quarrelsome? Who laments?”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

חַכְלִל֥וּת עֵינָֽיִם

redness_of eyes

The phrase dullness of eyes refers to eyes that look red because a person drank too much alcohol. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “is red eyes, like the color of blood” or “is bloodshot eyes”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

23:29 OSHB variant note: מדונים: (x-qere) ’מִדְיָנִ֨ים’: lemma_4079 n_1.1.0 morph_HNcmpa id_20BVw מִדְיָנִ֨ים

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 23:29