PROV 6:1 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:1–19: Here are several practical admonitions and warnings

This section contains practical warnings about four specific and unrelated areas of behavior. The first warning is about the danger of cosigning a loan for another person (6:1–5). The second paragraph speaks highly of the diligence of the ant and warns against laziness (6:6–11). The third paragraph briefly describes the behavior of a worthless scoundrel (6:12–15). The last paragraph is in the form of a numerical proverb and lists seven sins that the LORD hates (6:16–19).

Some other headings for this section are:

More Warnings (GNT)

Dangers of Being Foolish (NCV)

Warnings Against Folly (NIV)

Paragraph 6:1–5

In the first two verses of this paragraph, the father describes a possible circumstance or situation that his son may face. The last three verses advise the son what he should do if he is in that situation.

6:1

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. Both lines refer to the same event, and the “neighbor” in 6:1a is the same person whom the BSB refers to as a “stranger” in 6:1b.

^1aMy son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,

^1b if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

6:1a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ My child, let us^(dual/incl) suppose that you^(sing) have concluded an agreement to repay another person’s loan if he is unable to pay.

if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger: These two clauses refer to a situation that the son may face. This is a situation where the son has promised to pay the money lender if the neighbor who borrowed the money is unable to pay.Fox, Ross, and McKane argue that the neighbor is the creditor, and the stranger is the borrower. Fox (page 211) says that only the lender could release the surety. However, Delitzsch, Whybray, Scott, Kidner, Toy, and Murphy all agree that the neighbor is the borrower. Scott (page 58) suggests that the arrangement has apparently been agreed to but not yet carried into effect. An agreement of this nature was concluded or sealed by striking or clapping the palm of the other person.

Similar verses about guaranteeing to pay someone else’s debt occur in 11:15, 17:18, 20:16, and 22:26. See the notes on 17:18 for a description of specific differences between these verses. See the notes on 20:16 for further definitions of the three people (borrower, guarantor, and money lender) involved in this kind of situation.

The BSB and some other English versions use “if” clauses in 6:1–2 to describe this situation. Other ways to describe it are to use a question or a different kind of clause. For example:

Have you put up security for your neighbor?

Suppose you have put up security for your neighbor.

Be careful about putting up security for your neighbor.

Describe this situation in a natural way in your language. See the General Comment on 6:1–2 at the end of 6:2a–b for other ways to translate these verses.

6:1a

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,

¶ My son, have you^(sing) promised to pay another man’s debt if he is unable to pay
¶ My child, suppose you promise to be responsible for someone else’s debt,

My son: (see 1:8a in the Notes).

for your neighbor: In Hebrew, the word neighbor can refer to anyone with whom one interacts. It can include a close friend, an acquaintance, or simply another person. It does not refer only to a person who lives nearby. See how you translated the same word in 3:28a–b.

6:1b

if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,

and sealed your^(sing) promise with a handshake?
and you have already shaken hands to confirm your promise.

you have struck hands in pledge: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “you have clapped/struck your palms.” The function of this gesture was to conclude a legal or financial agreement. Some ways to translate this gesture are:

Use a gesture or action that has the same function in your culture. For example:
you have finalized your promise by shaking hands
you have cosigned another person’s loan
Translate the meaning without referring to a particular gesture or action. For two examples, see the CEV and GNT. They are quoted in the General Comment on 6:1a–b below.

with a stranger: The word that the BSB translates as stranger is literally “foreigner” or “stranger.” The BSB, RSV, and NJB translate it as stranger, but in this context, it probably refers to anyone outside of the family. For example:

someone else (NCV)

General Comment on 6:1a–b

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

My child, suppose you agree to pay the debt of someone, who cannot repay a loan. (CEV)

My child, have you promised to be responsible for someone else’s debts? (GNT)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

בְּ֭נִ⁠י

my_son_of,my

See how you translated the same use of this phrase in [1:8](../01/08.md).

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

אִם

Here, if indicates that Solomon is using a hypothetical situation to teach his son. This verse and the next verse are one long, conditional sentence. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a situation that could happen. Alternate translation: “suppose”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

אִם־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְ⁠רֵעֶ֑⁠ךָ תָּקַ֖עְתָּ לַ⁠זָּ֣ר כַּפֶּֽי⁠ךָ

if put_up_security for,fellow-citizen_of,your bound to,stranger palms_of,your

These two clauses mean basically the same thing. The second clause emphasizes the meaning of the first by repeating the same idea with different words. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the clauses into one and express the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “if you have pledged yourself to pay back a loan for someone else”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

אִם־עָרַ֣בְתָּ לְ⁠רֵעֶ֑⁠ךָ

if put_up_security for,fellow-citizen_of,your

Here Solomon implies that the pledge is a promise to pay back a loan of money that a neighbor who is a stranger is unable to pay back. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “if you promise to pay back the loan for your neighbor when he is unable to pay it”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לְ⁠רֵעֶ֑⁠ךָ & לַ⁠זָּ֣ר

for,fellow-citizen_of,your & to,stranger

The words neighbor and stranger here refer to the same person. Therefore, this person is an acquaintance of the son whom he does not know well. If possible, use a word or words in your language for this type of person.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

תָּקַ֖עְתָּ לַ⁠זָּ֣ר כַּפֶּֽי⁠ךָ

bound to,stranger palms_of,your

Solomon is leaving out a word that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply the word from the previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “if you clasp your palms for a stranger”

Note 7 topic: translate-symaction

תָּקַ֖עְתָּ & כַּפֶּֽי⁠ךָ

bound & palms_of,your

The function of this action in this culture was to confirm a contractual agreement with someone. If there is a gesture with similar meaning in your culture, you could consider using it here in your translation, or you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “you shake hands to confirm an agreement” or “you confirm an agreement”

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 6:1

Hebrew word order