PROV 23:35 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 23:29–35 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).

23:35

This verse describes the drunk person’s words or thoughts when he starts to wake up from his drunken sleep. First he congratulates himself that he has not been injured (35a–b). Then he makes known his desire to get drunk again as soon as his mind clears (35c–d).

^35a“They struck me, but I feel no pain!

^35b They beat me, but I did not know it!

^35cWhen can I wake up

^35dto search for another drink?”

23:35a–b

(combined/reordered)

Then you will think, “I’m sure that someone punched me, but nothing hurts at all!

Even though it is not in the Hebrew text, the LXX and most English versions, add a quote formula, to clarify that the drunk person is the one who is speaking. He may be speaking aloud to himself or he may be thinking these words in his mind. For example:

You will think, “They hit me… (NCV)

“They hit me,” you will say… (NIV)

You may translate either way. The NCV puts the quote formula at the beginning of the quote and the NIV puts the quote formula after the words “They hit me.” If you use a quote formula, you may put it wherever it naturally occurs in your language.

They struck me…They beat me: These parallel clauses have almost the same meaning. The drunk person remembers that he was involved in a fight (see 23:29). During this fight, someone hit him with their fists or struck him with a hard object. Some other ways to translate these clauses are:

they hit me…they beat me up (NLT)

they punched me…they clubbed me

You may use any similar terms in your language that fit this context.

but I feel no pain!…but I did not know it!: These parallel clauses have almost the same meaning. During the fight, the drunk person was not aware that he was injured. He felt no pain then, and he still feels no pain. Some versions use present tense to translate these clauses. For example:

but I’m not hurt…I don’t remember it (NCV)

Others use past tense. For example:

but I was not hurt…but I did not feel it (NRSV)

You may use either of these options.

General Comment on 23:35a–b

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

“I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don’t remember it. (GNT)

23:35a

“They struck me, but I feel no pain!

And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it. (NLT)
Then you^(sing) will say to yourself, “Some people punched me, but I feel no pain!

23:35b

They beat me, but I did not know it!

I didn’t even know it when they beat me up. (NLT)
They hit me repeatedly, but surprisingly, I feel nothing!

23:35c

When can I wake up

Oh if only I could wake up
Why does it take so long for my head/thoughts to become clear?

23:35d

to search for another drink?”

so I could drink some more!”
I really need another drink!”

23:35c–d

When can I wake up: The preceding verse parts (23:35a–b) indicate that the drunk person is not asleep. He has already started to wake up from his drunken condition.

This question expresses the drunk person’s frustration. He is frustrated that he is still unable to wake up completely. He is still affected by the alcohol. He hopes that he will soon be able to think clearly. Some other ways to express this frustration and desire are:

Why can’t I wake up? (GNT)

I wish I could wake up. (NCV)

to search for another drink?: He wants to wake up so he can start drinking again. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

I need another drink. (GNT)

Then I would get another drink. (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

הִכּ֥וּ⁠נִי

they,struck_me

This verse describes what a drunk person would say; that person was referred to as “you” in the previous two verses. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate this with quotation marks or with whatever other punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

הִכּ֥וּ⁠נִי בַל־חָלִיתִי֮

they,struck_me not hurt

The drunk person implies a strong contrast between the first clause and the second. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “They struck me. However, I was not hurt”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

הֲלָמ֗וּ⁠נִי בַּל־יָ֫דָ֥עְתִּי

they,struck_me not know

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מָתַ֥י אָקִ֑יץ

when(q) awake

The drunk person uses a question in order to emphasize his desire to be awake. 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 want to wake up!”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מָתַ֥י אָקִ֑יץ

when(q) awake

Here, wake up refers to the drunk person becoming sober again. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “When will I become sober”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

א֝וֹסִ֗יף אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥⁠נּוּ עֽוֹד

continue I,will_seek_it again/more

The words add and seek it again express a single idea. The word add emphasizes the repetition of seeking more wine to drink. If it would be more natural in your language, you could express this meaning in a different way. Alternate translation: “I will seek it yet again”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אֲבַקְשֶׁ֥⁠נּוּ עֽוֹד

I,will_seek_it again/more

The drunk person implies that he will seek more wine and drink it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I will seek wine to drink again”

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 23:35

Hebrew word order