PROV 4:19 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. דֶּרֶךְ
2. 388450
3. +the way of
4. path
5. 1870
6. S-Ncbsc
7. [the]_way_of
8. S
9. Y-1000
10. 270414
1. רְשָׁעִים
2. 388451
3. wicked people
4. wicked
5. 7563
6. S-Aampa
7. wicked_[people]
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270415
1. כָּ,אֲפֵלָה
2. 388452,388453
3. +is like darkness
4. darkness
5. 653
6. P-Rd,Ncfsa
7. [is]_like,darkness
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270416
1. לֹא
2. 388454
3. not
4. don't
5. 3808
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270417
1. יָדְעוּ
2. 388455
3. they know
4. know
5. 3045
6. V-Vqp3cp
7. they_know
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270418
1. בַּ,מֶּה
2. 388456,388457
3. on what
4. -
5. 4100
6. O-R,Ti
7. on,what?
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270419
1. יִכָּשֵׁלוּ
2. 388458
3. are they stumbling
4. stumbling
5. 3782
6. V-VNi3mp
7. are_they_stumbling
8. -
9. Y-1000
10. 270420
2. 388459
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 270421
2. 388460
3. -
4. -
6. -x-pe
8. S
9. -
10. 270422

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)

Paragraph 4:18–19

This paragraph gives a concluding contrast between the lives of righteous and wicked people. In Hebrew, it begins with a word that is often translated as “and” or “but.” A number of English versions, including the BSB, place this word at the beginning of 4:19. Some versions leave it implied.

4:19

Notice the parallelism. In the first line, the life of wicked people is compared to a person who walks in the darkness. The second line describes what walking in the darkness is like.

^19aBut the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;

^19b they do not know what makes them stumble.

4:19a–b

is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble: In this context (4:18–19), darkness probably represents insecurity, danger, and disaster, but it may also describe misery, uncertainty, or ignorance.Kidner (page 67) mentions uncertainty, as does Fox (page 183), who also lists ignorance and misery. Whybray (page 80) also lists misery as one of the multiple meanings of darkness. So it may be better to leave the point of comparison implied.

4:19a

But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;

But the life of people who do evil is like those who walk in extreme darkness.
But as for wicked people, the course of their life is like the darkness of night.

the darkest gloom: The word that the BSB translates as darkest gloom means “like darkness.” Use a natural expression in your language that is used to describe:

extreme darkness

total darkness (CEV)

the darkness of night

4:19b

they do not know what makes them stumble.

When they stumble, they are unable to see what caused them to stumble.
They are like a person who stumbles over something, but he does not know what he has stumbled over.

stumble: The word stumble is a metaphor that refers to trouble, disaster, difficulties, and harm. It should not be understood literally. See the note on 3:23a–b.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דֶּ֣רֶךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: road/way_of wicked [is]_like,darkness not know on,what? stumble )

Here, way has the same meaning as “path” in the previous verse. See how you translated “path” there.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כָּֽ⁠אֲפֵלָ֑ה

(Some words not found in UHB: road/way_of wicked [is]_like,darkness not know on,what? stumble )

Here Solomon compares the way of the wicked to darkness. He means that the wicked people are always in danger, just like people who walk in darkness are in danger because they cannot see where they are going. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [is dangerous]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לֹ֥א יָ֝דְע֗וּ בַּ⁠מֶּ֥ה יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ

not know (Some words not found in UHB: road/way_of wicked [is]_like,darkness not know on,what? stumble )

Here Solomon speaks of people experiencing harm as if they were stumbling over an object in the path on which they were walking. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [they do not know why they experience harm]

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 4:19