PROV 30:14 Interlinear View

30:14 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently from BHQ.

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 30:1–33: Here are the sayings of Agur

This section is a collection of verses that were written or organized by Agur the son of Jakeh.Some scholars think that Agur wrote or collected only verses 1–4, 1–6, 1–9, or 1–14. UBS (page 617), Toy (page 518), and Longman (page 513) are among those who list some of these possibilities. The GNT indicates with quotation marks that Agur’s words end after v.6. No other versions indicate that Agur’s words end before the end of the chapter. Waltke (volume I, page 26) strongly defends the entire chapter as the “oracle” of Agur on the basis of its structural unity. Kidner (page 178) divides the chapter into two sections (1–9) and (10–33), but identifies both as coming from “the sage.” The title of this section (30:1a) is the only place in Scripture that Agur is mentioned. The section is divided into paragraphs that vary from one to five verses. The Notes will suggest a paragraph heading for all paragraphs after 30:1a. It is suggested that you use similar headings in your translation to help the readers follow the changes of topic and audience.

The first nine verses contain Agur’s personal thoughts and prayers. Some are addressed to God, others to his audience. The rest of the chapter contains proverbs on various topics. Some are individual warnings or statements (30:10, 17, 20, 32–33). Others contain several kinds of lists of four items each. The lists in verses 15b–16, 18–19, 21–23, and 29–31 have the same form as the numerical proverb in 6:16–19. (See the paragraph summary for 6:16–19 and the notes on 6:16a–b.) The lists in verses 11–14 and 24–28 have different forms. These will be described in the paragraph summaries where they first occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

The Words of Agur (ESV)

Wise Words from Agur (NCV)

Words that the LORD caused Agur to make known

Paragraph 30:11–14 Four kinds of wicked people

This paragraph lists four kinds or groups of people. It is not like the numerical proverb in 30:15–16, because it does not specify either the number three or four.

Each of the four verses begins with a Hebrew word that is literally “generation.” Each “generation” is a group of people that share a particular characteristic. In these verses, each of the four groups is guilty of a certain kind of sin.UBS (page 629), Ross (page 1121).

Some ways to introduce each of the four verses are:

There are those who… (ESV)

There is a group of people that… (NAB)

A certain kind of person… (GW)

Some people… (NCV)

30:14

This group is the climax of the four groups in this list. It has four parallel lines instead of only two. The people in this group are more cruel and violent than the people in the other groups. If your language has a way to indicate that this group is the climax, consider using it here. The meaning lines in the Display will give some options.

The overall meaning is that greedy, powerful people use extreme violence to deprive poor people of the resources they need to stay alive.According to Waltke (page 486), they use various methods to take away poor people’s land and cheat them out of their wages so they can’t feed their families and “die prematurely.” Hubbard (page 463) agrees that “the rich robbed the poor of their lands.”

Both the first two lines and the last two lines use complex metaphors. In the first two lines, the vicious people are compared to wild animals with sharp teeth (implied illustration). The teeth of the animals are also compared to sharp swords and knives.UBS (page 631) and Cohen (page 204) understand the overall figure of speech in the first two lines to refer to a hungry wild animal that uses its sharp teeth to tear the meat from its prey. In the last two lines, the violent methods that the greedy people use to destroy poor people are compared to the way that wild animals kill and devour their prey.

^14athere is a generation whose teeth are swords

^14band whose jaws are knives,

^14cdevouring the oppressed from the earth

^14dand the needy from among men.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted word or phrase) in 30:14d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing phrase from 30:14c. For example:

^14dand devouring the needy from among men.

30:14a–b

(combined/reordered)

And finally, there are people who are more wicked/cruel than the others. They have teeth like swords or knives.
The last group of people are extremely cruel and show no mercy.

The Notes will first discuss the parallel terms “teeth” and “jaws.” They will then discuss ways to translate the metaphors in these lines.

whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives: The word that the BSB translates as jaws in 30:14b is a poetic synonym for teeth. It occurs only four times in the OT and is always parallel with teeth. This line is literally “and its jaws/teeth are knives.”

Most English versions translate the term in the first line as teeth. They translate the term in the second line in many ways, including teeth, fangs, jaws, jaw teeth, and molars. Some of the options for translating the word in the second line are:

Use the same word as teeth in 30:14a. For example:
whose teeth are knives (NRSV)
Use a word that refers to the long front teeth of a wild animal. For example:
whose fangs are knives (ESV)
Use a word that refers to the jaw or jaw teeth. For example:
their jaws are knives
Use a more general word. For example:
their mouths are full of knives

Use a word or phrase in your language that fits the illustration of hungry wild animals that use their sharp teeth to kill and eat their prey.

30:14a

there is a generation whose teeth are swords

The fourth/last kind of person has teeth that are like sharp swords.
Here is the last kind of person. People like this are more wicked/violent than the others. Their teeth are as sharp as swords/machetes.
Finally, the most wicked/cruel kind of people are like hungry wild animals with teeth like sharp swords

whose teeth are swords: Some other ways to translate this complex metaphor are:

Change the metaphors to similes. For example:
have teeth like swords (NLT)
Make the implied illustration and similarity explicit if it will make the translation clearer or more natural. For example:
have teeth that are as sharp as machetes
are like hungry wild animals with teeth like sharp swords

30:14b

and whose jaws are knives,

Their fangs/incisors are like knives.
Indeed, the teeth in their mouths/jaws are like sharpened knives.
and jaws/fangs like knives.

and whose jaws are knives: Some other ways to translate this complex metaphor are:

General Comment on 30:14a–b

Change the metaphors to similes. For example:
and fangs like knives (NLT)
and whose jaws/molars are like knives
Make the similarity explicit if necessary. For example:
have teeth/jaws that are as sharp as knives

In some languages, it may be clearer and more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. It may also be necessary to translate the meaning directly without using one or more of the figures of speech. For example:

Finally, there are people who are like fierce animals with sharp teeth.

The last kind of people are greedy and vicious/cruel.

30:14c–d

(combined/reordered)

It’s as if they kill and swallow poor people who endure extreme hardship until there are none who still exist/live with their fellow human beings on earth.
They use their power to take away the means of livelihood of oppressed people who lack food and clothing until none remain alive on the earth.

the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men: The words that the BSB translates here as oppressed and needy are two of the four Hebrew words that refer to poor people in Proverbs. As with similar pairs, no contrast is intended here between these two words. They both refer to a group of people that cruel, greedy men “devour.”

the oppressed: In Hebrew, this word emphasizes that the oppressed suffer some kind of distress or disability. Because such people have low status in society, their lives are difficult. Others often oppress them. Some other ways to translate this word are:

the poor (NIV)

the afflicted (NASB)

the pitiable

See the footnote on “the poor” at 14:21b for a list of other verses where this word occurs.

from the earth…from among men: These parallel phrases indicate that no oppressed and needy people will be left on the earth. They will no longer be a part of the human race. Some other ways to translate these phrases are:

from off the earth…from among mortals (NRSV)

from the earth…from among the human race (NET)

so that none are left on the earth…none still live among their fellow people

the needy: The word needy emphasizes people who have material needs. They need things like food, clothing, or protection from people who oppress them. These needy people need to look for work every day. They depend on a daily wage for their survival. Some other ways to translate this word are:

the poor (NAB)

those who lack what they need

See the footnote on “the needy” at 14:31b for a list of other verses where this word occurs.

30:14c

devouring the oppressed from the earth

It is as if they eat all the oppressed people so that none remain on earth.
Like a hungry animal that devours its prey, they destroy people who suffer great hardship wherever they are located on earth.

devouring the oppressed from the earth: Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Change it to a simile. For example:
It is as if they eat all the oppressed people no matter where they are located on earth.
Make the implied illustration and similarity explicit if it will make the translation clearer or more natural. For example:
Like a hungry animal that devours its prey, they destroy people who suffer great hardship until none remain on the earth.

30:14d

and the needy from among men.

It is as if they swallow all those who are poor/pitiable. As a result, none still live among their fellow people.
They take away the possessions of people who lack what they need to stay alive. Soon those pitiable people will not be found among their fellow humans.

the needy from among men: Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

General Comment on 30:14c–d

Change it to a simile. For example:
It is as if they swallow all those who are needy. As a result, none still live among their fellow people.
Translate the meaning of “devour” (implied from 30:14c) without using a figure of speech. For example:
They take away the possessions of people who lack what they need to stay alive. Soon those pitiable people cannot be found among their fellow people.

They are like a fierce hungry animal that eats and swallows its kill/prey. They use their power to take away the means of livelihood of poor, oppressed people until none remain alive among their fellow people on the earth.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

דּ֤וֹר & שִׁנָּי⁠ו֮ & מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥י⁠ו

generation & teeth_of,its & fangs_of,its

See how you translated the same use of generation and its in [30:11](../30/11.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

חֲרָב֣וֹת שִׁנָּי⁠ו֮ וּֽ⁠מַאֲכָל֪וֹת מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥י⁠ו לֶ⁠אֱכֹ֣ל

swords teeth_of,its and_[are],knives fangs_of,its to,devour

Here, Agur refers to people who oppress afflicted ones and needy ones as if they were wild animals that are devouring those people by using teeth or fangs that are dangerous like swords or knives. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “it cruelly oppresses” or “it is oppresses others like a wild animal that uses sword-like teeth or knife-like fangs to consume”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

חֲרָב֣וֹת שִׁנָּי⁠ו֮ וּֽ⁠מַאֲכָל֪וֹת מְֽתַלְּעֹ֫תָ֥י⁠ו

swords teeth_of,its and_[are],knives fangs_of,its

The phrases its teeth are swords and its fangs are knives mean the same thing. Agur is using the two phrases together for emphasis. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: “its teeth are very sharp”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

עֲנִיִּ֣ים מֵ⁠אֶ֑רֶץ וְ֝⁠אֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים מֵ⁠אָדָֽם

poor from_[the],earth and,needy_[people] from=humankind

The phrases afflicted ones from the earth and needy ones from man mean the same thing. Agur is using the two phrases together for emphasis. Here, afflicted ones and needy ones both refer to poor people. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: “poor people from the world”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֵ⁠אָדָֽם

from=humankind

Here, man refers to all people in general, not a specific man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “from mankind” or “from all human beings”

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