PROV 27:20 Interlinear View

27:20 OSHB variant note: ו/אבדה: (x-qere) ’וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ’: lemma_c/10 n_1.0 morph_HC/Ncmsc id_20mvX וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ

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

27:20

This proverb is an implied comparison with the same form as 20:18. The topic is human desires (“the eyes of man”). The illustration is the world of the dead (“Sheol and Abaddon”). The similarity is that they are never satisfied.

^20aSheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

^20bso the eyes of man are never satisfied.

In Hebrew, the phrase “are never satisfied” occurs in both lines. Many English versions, including the BSB, translate it both times. Other versions translate it only once. For example:

Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. (NIV)

27:20a

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

¶ Sheol and Abaddon have a hunger/appetite that is never satisfied.
¶ There is no limit/end to people dying and going to the world of the dead.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied: The words that the BSB translates here as Sheol and Abaddon are both names in the OT for the world/place of the dead. The name Abaddon comes from a word that means “to perish.” It has the connotation “place of destruction.” For translation options and suggested footnotes for these names, see the notes on 15:11a.

are never satisfied: In this verse, the world/place of the dead is personified as a monster whose appetite for dead people is never satisfied. It is always “hungry” and wants to “swallow” more dead people.The concept of Sheol and Abaddon having an appetite that cannot be satisfied comes from ancient mythology. Waltke (p. 386) cites Ugaritic texts that describe Death as a monster that “endlessly devours his victims.” Whybray (p. 385) also refers to “the mythological notion of Sheol as a monster equipped with a mouth and an appetite.” Other scholars, including UBS, Hubbard, Garrett, and McKane describe the realm of death or the grave in similar ways.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

Keep the personification. For example:
Death and Destruction are never satisfied (NIV)
The place of the dead continually craves more dead people
Change the personification to a simile. Make explicit some of the implied information if necessary. For example:
Sheol and Abaddon are like a monster that never stops swallowing people who die.
It is as if the world/place of the dead is always hungry.
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
People will never stop dying and being destroyed (NCV)
There is always space for more dead people in the world of the dead.

27:20a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ We^(incl) people always want more and more things. We are like the place where dead people are located. More and more people are always going there.

27:20b

so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

A person’s eyes are the same. They are never satisfied/content.
Similarly, there is no limit/end to what a person desires.

so the eyes of man are never satisfied: The phrase that the BSB translates literally as the eyes of man is a figure of speech. Here it represents the desires that a person has. Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

General Comment on 27:20a–b

Keep the figure of speech. For example:
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied (GW)
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
so human desire is never satisfied (NLT)
and they will never stop wanting more than they have (NCV)

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

Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more. (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

שְׁא֣וֹל וַ֭אֲבַדּוֹ

(Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

See how you translated this phrase in [15:11](../15/11.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה & לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

not not (Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [no one can satisfy … no one can satisfy]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה

not not (Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

Here Solomon speaks of Sheol and Abaddon never lacking room for more dead people as if those places were people who are not satisfied with what they already have. He means that there will always be people who die. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [never lack space] or [always have room for more]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠עֵינֵ֥י הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not (Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

Here, and indicates that Solomon is comparing what follows to what he said in the previous clause. In the same way that Sheol and Abaddon are not satisfied, the eyes of the man are not satisfied. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [and similarly, the eyes of the man are not satisfied]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠עֵינֵ֥י הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not (Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

Here the eyes refers to desires. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [and the desires of the man are not satisfied]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם

the=humankind

Although the term man is masculine, Solomon is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: [a person] or [any person]

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

27:20 OSHB variant note: ו/אבדה: (x-qere) ’וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ’: lemma_c/10 n_1.0 morph_HC/Ncmsc id_20mvX וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ

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 27:20