PROV 4:17 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:10–19: Sixth lesson: Follow wise behavior and avoid the behavior of evil men

In this lesson, the father compares two lifestyles by using the metaphor of two paths. After an opening admonition to listen to his teaching (4:10), he describes the benefits of walking in the way of wisdom (4:11–13). He then describes the way of evil (4:14–17), and concludes by contrasting the two paths (4:18–19). Since the figure of walking on a path is used throughout this lesson, it is recommended that you keep this figurative idea if possible.

Some other headings for this section are:

Stay on the Path of Wisdom (GW)

The Right Way and the Wrong Way (CEV)

4:17

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^17aFor they eat the bread of wickedness

^17band drink the wine of violence.

4:17a–b

(combined/reordered)

Their evil, cruel deeds are like eating and drinking to them.
They consider wickedness and violence as necessary to them as food and drink.

For: This word introduces an explanation for why the wicked people in the previous verse cannot sleep until they do something wrong. It is because wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them.

they eat the bread of wickedness…drink the wine of violence: There are two ways to interpret these parallel statements:The interpretation that these expressions are metaphors is supported by Ross (page 925), Fox (page 181), Whybray (page 80), Toy (page 93), and Garrett (page 88). Whybray understands that wrongdoing is as “natural” as food and drink, whereas the others take the point of comparison to be as “necessary” as food and drink. The second interpretation is supported by Cook (page 23), Delitzsch (page 111), and Cohen (page 23). Many English versions, such as the NIV, RSV, NJB, and NASB, are ambiguous. They follow the literal form of the Hebrew expressions.

These statements are metaphors. They compare doing wicked and violent things to eating bread and drinking wine. They imply that for evil people, doing wrong is as necessary or natural as eating and drinking. For example:
They feast on wickedness and cruelty as if they were eating bread and drinking wine. (NCV) (BSB, NCV, CEV, GNT, NLT96)
These statements indicate the means by which evil people get their bread and wine. They get bread and wine by doing wicked and violent things. For example:
They eat food obtained through wrongdoing and drink wine obtained through violence. (GW) (GW, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation better fits the context in 4:16 that wrongdoing is necessary for wicked people.

Bread and wine were the staple food and drink of that time. In some cultures today, bread is considered a luxury item or a snack food and wine is not drunk at meals. If that is true in your culture, it may be better to translate with more general terms. For example:

Wickedness and violence are like food and drink to them (GNT)

Notice that the GNT has changed the metaphors to a simile. It has also combined and/or reordered the parallel parts.

of wickedness…of violence: The second term clarifies the first by specifying the kind of wickedness that it is talking about. The word that the BSB translates as violence refers to injury and probably murder.

4:17a

For they eat the bread of wickedness

To them, doing bad things is like eating bread,

4:17b

and drink the wine of violence.

and hurting or killing people is like drinking wine.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

כִּ֣י

that/for/because/then/when

For here indicates that what follows are more reasons why someone should avoid doing evil, as commanded in [4:15](../04/15.md). Use a connector in your language that makes it clear that what follows is a reason for what came before. Alternate translation: “Avoid being one who acts wickedly, because”

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

לָ֭חֲמוּ & יִשְׁתּֽוּ

eat & drink

In this verse, the pronoun they refers to the wicked people mentioned in [4:14](../04/14.md). If it would be clearer in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “wicked ones eat … wicked ones drink”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לָ֭חֲמוּ לֶ֣חֶם רֶ֑שַׁע וְ⁠יֵ֖ין חֲמָסִ֣ים יִשְׁתּֽוּ

eat food/grain/bread wickedness and=wine violence drink

These two clauses could mean: (1) these wicked people do acts of wickedness and violence as regularly as they eat bread and drink wine. Alternate translation: “wickedness is like the bread that they eat and violence is like the wine that they drink” or (2) these wicked people do acts of wickedness and violence in order to get their bread and wine. Alternate translation: “they eat bread that they obtain by doing wicked things and they drink wine that they obtain through violent acts”

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.