PROV 25:14 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 25:1–29:27: This is Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the second collection of Solomon’s proverbs. These proverbs were organized and copied by men who served King Hezekiah. Most scholars divide this section into two groups. These groups differ in several ways.

The first group (chapters 25–27) has many more comparisons and admonitions. In Hebrew, most of these comparisons are metaphors in which one or more illustrations precede the topic. Some English versions change the order so that the topic precedes the illustration(s). You should follow the order that expresses the meaning naturally and effectively in your language.

In the first group, many proverbs are one verse long. As with the individual proverbs in the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (Section 10:1–22:16), they are not related to the proverbs around them. Other proverbs in this group are two or more verses long. Still others are one-verse proverbs that are closely related in theme. Proverbs in all three categories will be marked as separate paragraphs.

The second group (chapters 28–29) has more contrastive proverbs. The proverbs in this group are each one verse long. They will not be marked as separate paragraphs.

Some other headings for this section are:

More Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah (NET)

These are also wise things that Solomon said

25:14

Most versions, including the BSB, translate this Hebrew metaphor as a simile. Notice that each line has a positive and negative part:

^14aLike clouds and wind without rain

^14bis the man who boasts of gifts never given.

The proverb compares “the man who boasts of gifts never given” (the topic) to “clouds and wind without rain” (the illustration). Some of the similarities are:

Both lead people to expect a certain result.
Both cause disappointment because they fail to produce the expected result.

25:14a

Like clouds and wind without rain

¶ What is like clouds and wind that cause/bring no rain?
¶ We^(incl) are disappointed when there are dark clouds and wind, but it does not rain.

Like clouds and wind without rain: When people see dark clouds being blown by the wind, they expect that it will rain. This phrase refers to clouds and wind that do not produce rain. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

Like clouds and wind when no rain follows (NAB)

Clouds and wind but no rain (NJB)

25:14a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ If you^(sing) boast that you will give gifts to someone and you do not give anything, you are like wind and clouds that cause people to expect rain, and then there is none.

25:14b

is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

A person who boasts about the gifts that he will give, but he does not do what he promised.
It is also like that when a person tells us^(incl) that he will give nice things, and then he gives nothing.

is the man who boasts of gifts never given: This clause refers to a man who speaks boastfully about the gifts that he will give, but he fails to give them. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

is the man who boastfully promises what he never gives (NAB)

is one who boasts of a gift never given (NRSV)

General Comment on 25:14a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to state the topic before the illustration. For example:

^14bPeople who brag about gifts they never give

^14aare like clouds and wind that give no rain. (NCV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭⁠רוּחַ וְ⁠גֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן אִ֥ישׁ מִ֝תְהַלֵּ֗ל בְּ⁠מַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר

clouds and=spirit and,rain without (a)_man boasts in,a_gift_of never

If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these clauses. Alternate translation: “The man who boasts in a gift of falsehood is clouds and wind but without rain”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

נְשִׂיאִ֣ים וְ֭⁠רוּחַ וְ⁠גֶ֣שֶׁם אָ֑יִן

clouds and=spirit and,rain without

In this verse, Solomon speaks of the man who boasts in a gift of falsehood being disappointing as if he were Clouds and wind but without rain. Clouds and wind usually indicate that there will also be rain, so Clouds and wind without rain would disappoint farmers who need rain for their crops. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “Very disappointing” or “Like clouds and wind but no rain”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִ֥ישׁ

(a)_man

The word man represents people in general, not one particular man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: “is any person”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בְּ⁠מַתַּת־שָֽׁקֶר

in,a_gift_of never

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a gift that is characterized by falsehood. This refers to a gift the someone promises to give but does not give. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “in a false gift” or “in a gift he falsely promises to give”

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 25:14