PROV 8:13 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–36: Wisdom calls out to people and reminds them of the benefits of being wise

In contrast to the previous section describing the adulterous woman, this section describes personified Wisdom. The public setting for Wisdom’s speech is described in 8:1–3. In 8:4–11, she addresses all mankind and describes her own character. In 8:12–21, she provides reasons why people should choose her. Additional motivation is given in 8:22–31: Wisdom was with the LORD when he created the world. The section ends with Wisdom appealing to mankind to follow her teaching (8:32–36).

This section is a speech by personified Wisdom. As in Wisdom’s speech in 1:20–33, the Notes have used a capital letter for Wisdom in most verses. However, in her speech, Wisdom sometimes refers to “wisdom” as an ability that people have or use or should try to obtain. In some of these contexts, the Notes have used small letters for “wisdom.” The Display will often give more than one option. You may use either option in your language, depending on what is appropriate in each context.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wisdom’s Call (NIV)

Listen to Wisdom (NCV)

The good qualities of Wisdom

Wisdom’s second invitation to people

Paragraph 8:12–21

After again identifying herself and the qualities that she is associated with (12–13), Wisdom describes why people should choose her. They should choose her because she is the basis of an orderly society (14–16). She is also the source of wealth and other benefits to those who seek and find her (17–21).

8:13

In this verse, Wisdom states a general principle that a person who fears the LORD will hate evil. She then lists a number of specific evil things that she hates.

8:13a

To fear the LORD is to hate evil;

Someone who reverently obeys Yahweh will reject what is evil.
If a person fears and respects Yahweh, he will hate anything that is bad.

To fear the LORD: In Hebrew, the word fear includes the ideas of fear, reverence, and submission. For more information on the phrase that the BSB translates as fear the LORD, see the note on 1:7a.

is to hate evil: This phrase means to strongly dislike what is bad and to refuse to be involved in it. For hate, see the note on 1:22b.

In languages that cannot use an infinitive like “to fear” as the subject of a sentence, other ways of translating this line are:

A person who fears and respects the LORD will also reject what is evil.

If someone reverently obeys the LORD, he will hate and reject anything that is evil.

8:13b

I hate arrogant pride,

So I wisdom detest pride and arrogance in people.
I Wisdom hate it when people are proud and consider themselves to be better than their fellow men.

I hate arrogant pride: The words arrogant and pride come from the same Hebrew root. The first word occurs only here in the OT. The second word, in this kind of context, is usually translated as “pride.” The two words have the same meaning. When they are used together in poetry, as here, they refer to all kinds of pride. Some other ways to translate these two words are:

pride (CEV)

pride and arrogance (NIV)

If your language has an idiom for people who are proud, you may be able to use it here. In some languages, it may not be natural to use abstract nouns such as “pride” and “arrogance.” Another way to translate this line is:

I hate it when people are proud and think that they are better than others.

8:13c

evil conduct, and perverse speech.

I also hate people’s wickedness and lies.
I hate the evil things that people do, and I cannot tolerate their saying things that deceive others.

evil conduct: In Hebrew, the phrase evil conduct is literally “way of evil” (ESV). The word “way” is used figuratively to refer to a person’s conduct or way of life.

and perverse speech: For the phrase perverse speech (literally “mouth of turnings-about”), see the notes on 2:12b and 2:14b. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

false words (GNT)

deceitful lies (CEV)

The word that the BSB translates as perverse is not the same Hebrew word that was used in 8:8b, but it has a similar meaning.

General Comment on 8:13a–c

There is no explicit connection between the general principle in 8:13a and the specific evil things listed in 8:13b–c. In some languages, it may be helpful to make the connection explicit, as the NLT96 has done:

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. That is why I hate pride, arrogance, corruption, and perverted speech. (NLT96)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

יִֽרְאַ֣ת יְהוָה֮

fear_of YHWH

See how you translated the fear of Yahweh in [1:7](../01/07.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

רָ֥ע גֵּ֘אָ֤ה וְ⁠גָא֨וֹן

evil pride and,arrogance

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of evil, Pride, and arrogance, you could express the same ideas in other ways. See how you translated evil in [1:16](../01/16.md). Alternate translation: “evil things. Being proud and arrogant”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠דֶ֣רֶךְ רָ֭ע

and,a_way evil

See how you translated this use of way in [1:15](../01/15.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וּ⁠פִ֨י תַהְפֻּכ֬וֹת

and,a_mouth_of perverted

Here, Wisdom is using the possessive form to describe a mouth that speaks perverse things. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “and the mouth that speaks perverse things”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וּ⁠פִ֨י

and,a_mouth_of

Here, mouth represents the perverse things that are said through it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and the action of speaking”

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 8:13

Hebrew word order