PROV 26:19 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 26:18–19

These two verses form a single proverb. The first verse is the illustration. The second verse is the topic.

In Hebrew, these verses have four poetic lines. The Notes will discuss each verse as a single line to fit the pattern of other two-line proverbs in this chapter (one line for the illustration, one line for the topic).

26:19

so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

He is like a person who deceives his neighbor/friend and then says, “It was only a joke!”
The result is similar when a person thinks it is amusing to tell lies to his companion.
(combined/reordered)
¶ A person who deceives/tricks his fellowman and then says that he was only teasing is like a crazy person who shoots flaming arrows or other deadly weapons.
¶ If you^(sing) tell lies to a friend and then make excuses, saying, “I was only joking when I said that,” you will cause great harm. You are like a crazy person who tosses a flaming torch at someone or shoots arrows at him.

so is the man who deceives his neighbor: This phrase refers to a person who deceives a friend or neighbor. He probably does this by lying to him, cheating him, or tricking him in some way.

neighbor: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as neighbor can refer to anyone with whom a person interacts. It can include a close friend, an acquaintance, or someone who lives nearby. See how you translated the same word in 25:18b.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

so is anyone who lies to a companion (NJB)

is someone who tells lies to a friend (NLT)

is the one who tricks a neighbor (NCV)

is one who cheats his fellow (NJPS)

and says, “I was only joking!”: In Hebrew, this statement is a rhetorical question. For example:

and says, “Was I not joking?” (NASB)

The function of this rhetorical question is to emphasize that the person was only teasing or joking when he deceived his neighbor.

This statement indicates that the speaker thinks he did something that was funny. He probably made this statement as an excuse to the neighbor or to someone who rebuked him for deceiving the neighbor. Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

and then says, ‘It was only a joke.’ (REB)

and then says, ‘Aren’t I amusing?’ (NJB)

and then claims that he was only joking (GNT)

General Comment on 26:18–19

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder parts of these verses so that the topic precedes the illustration. For example:

^18–19Someone who tricks someone else and then claims that he was only joking is like a crazy person playing with a deadly weapon. (GNT)

If you reorder these verses, it is recommended that you combine the verse numbers as the GNT does.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

אִ֭ישׁ & אֶת־רֵעֵ֑⁠הוּ

(a)_man & DOM his/its=neighbour

Although the terms man and his are masculine, Solomon is using these words in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use phrases that make this clear. Alternate translation: “is a person … that person’s neighbor”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וְ֝⁠אָמַ֗ר הֲֽ⁠לֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי

and=saying(ms) ?,not joking I

Here, a man who deceives is using this question to emphasize that he was joking. 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: “and says, ‘Just kidding!’”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / quotations

וְ֝⁠אָמַ֗ר הֲֽ⁠לֹא־מְשַׂחֵ֥ק אָֽנִי

and=saying(ms) ?,not joking I

If it would be more natural in your language, you could express this as an indirect quotation. Alternate translation: “and say that you were joking”

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 26:19

Hebrew word order

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

Paragraph 26:18–19

26:19

General Comment on 26:18–19

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