PROV 25:8 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

Paragraph 25:7c–8

The BSB and most versions start this paragraph with the words of 25:7c.In the MT, the last part of 25:7 is literally “whom/which your eyes have seen.” The GW, NASB, and NET follow this wording. These versions include 25:7c in the same sentence as 25:7a–b. In these versions, there is no verse number at the beginning of the paragraph. The GNT and NJB include the words of 25:7c as the first part of 25:8. You may follow either numbering option.

This proverb is a warning about the danger of hastily accusing another person in court.

25:8a

do not bring hastily to court.

but you^(sing) must not hurry to sue someone about it in court.
think carefully about it before you decide to tell it to the judge/court.

do not bring hastily to court: In Hebrew, this command can refer to either a personal or a legal argument/fight. Here it probably refers to a legal case in court.Most versions and commentaries understand the situation as a court case. The NAB has “bring not forth hastily against an opponent,” which could be understood either way. The NJPS has “be vented rashly in a quarrel,” which would normally not refer to a court setting. Fox (page 781) argues for a personal quarrel. Longman (page 447) says that it could be “an informal accusation. Murphy (page 191) says that either setting is possible REB has “be in no hurry to tell everyone,” which seems to refer more generally to gossip. McKane (pages 580–581) also concludes that the verse refers to confronting a person for harmful gossip.

In the BSB and in the NJB (quoted below), this command refers to the testimony that the eyewitness presents in court. In the NCV (quoted below), it refers to the person whom the eyewitness takes to court. Both aspects are involved in a lawsuit. You may translate either way, depending on how you translated 25:7c.

hastily: This word means “rashly.” It refers to doing something in a hurry without carefully verifying the facts and considering the consequences.

Some other ways to translate this command are:

do not quickly take someone to court (NCV)

do not be in a hurry to accuse another person in court

do not produce too quickly at the trial (NJB)

General Comment on 25:7c–8a

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these two lines. For example, the GNT has:

Don’t be too quick to go to court about something you have seen.

25:8b–c

(combined/reordered)

Your^(sing) fellowman may defeat you in court and you will be shamed. There is nothing that you will be able to do.

These two lines form a single rhetorical question. They give the reason or motivation for obeying the command in 25:7c–8a.

^8bOtherwise, what will you do in the end

^8cwhen your neighbor puts you to shame?

The rhetorical question emphasizes that the person who makes an accusation may lose his case. He will be publicly humiliated, and he will not be able to do anything about it. This rhetorical question may also be translated as a statement. See 25:8b–c (combined/reordered) in the Display.

25:8b

Otherwise, what will you do in the end

What will you^(sing) do

in the end: These words refer to the end of the court case. In some languages, it may be more natural not to translate these words explicitly. The conclusion of the court case is implied by 25:8c.

25:8c

when your neighbor puts you to shame?

if the person you^(sing) accused/sued testifies that you made a mistake and thus humiliates you?

your neighbor: In Hebrew, the word neighbor can refer to anyone with whom one interacts, from a close friend to an acquaintance. It does not refer only to a person who lives nearby.

The verse does not explicitly identify the neighbor. Most scholars think that he is the person who was accused in court.These scholars include Waltke, Hubbard, Longman, and Murphy. The GNT, supported by UBS, identifies the neighbor as “another witness.” This is possible, but the closely related proverb in 25:9 also focuses on an argument between “you” (the reader) and “a neighbor.” There is no need to introduce the role of a witness.

puts you to shame: The preceding court context implies that the “neighbor” humiliates the accuser in one or more ways:

He shows that the accuser misunderstood what he saw.
He provides other evidence that disproves or casts doubt on the accuser’s testimony.
He successfully defends himself and causes the accuser to lose the case.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

when your neighbor proves you wrong (NCV)

or you might lose your case and be embarrassed (CEV)

if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat (NLT)

25:7c–8a

(combined/reordered)

¶ Do not be in a hurry to accuse someone in court just because of something you^(sing) saw.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לָ⁠רִ֗ב

to,contest_a_lawsuit

Here, dispute refers to arguing a legal case against someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “to argue a legal case against your neighbor”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מַה־תַּ֭עֲשֶׂה בְּ⁠אַחֲרִיתָ֑⁠הּ בְּ⁠הַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְ⁠ךָ֣ רֵעֶֽ⁠ךָ

what? you(ms)_will_make at,end_of,its when,puts_to_shame ,you neighbor_of,your

Solomon is using the question form to make the reader consider what would happen if they lose the dispute. The way in which the neighbor might put the reader to shame can be stated plainly. 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: “you will not know what to do in its end when your neighbor humiliates you!”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠הַכְלִ֖ים אֹתְ⁠ךָ֣ רֵעֶֽ⁠ךָ

when,puts_to_shame ,you neighbor_of,your

Solomon implies that your neighbor humiliates you because you lose the legal dispute. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “when you lose and your neighbor humiliates you”

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 25:8

Hebrew word order