PROV 8:28 Interlinear View

8:28 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

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 8:22–31

In this paragraph, Wisdom gives additional reasons why people should choose her. The LORD created Wisdom before anything else (8:22–26), and she was present with the LORD when he created the world (8:27–29). She also delighted in what the LORD created (8:30–31).

8:28

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^28a when He established the clouds above,

^28bwhen the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

It is possible that “clouds” and “fountains of the deep” are paired together here, because both were regarded as a source of water or as a boundary from which water could be released.According to Whybray (page 133), “the clouds were believed to be a solid mass by which God controlled the weather.” McKane (page 355) mentions the view that there are two oceans that have to be contained. The clouds form a dam that holds back the upper ocean.

8:28a

when He established the clouds above,

I was there when he strengthened the clouds so that they would stay in the sky
When he put the clouds in the sky

when He established the clouds above: The verb phrase He established is literally “He made firm/strong,” as a building. Here it may mean that the LORD gave the clouds the strength “to remain suspended above the earth.”Fox (page 285). Some English versions translate this clause without using a figure of speech. For example:

when he placed the clouds in the sky (GNT)

8:28b

when the fountains of the deep gushed forth,

and when he enabled the springs that fill the ocean to flow strongly.
and created the springs that are the source of water in the ocean, I was there.

the fountains of the deep: This phrase refers to springs of water that supply the oceans. These may be underground springs on the land or springs from beneath the bottom of the ocean. It is better not to specify one or the other.

gushed forth: The verb gushed forth is literally “became strong.” This is difficult to understand and does not fit the parallelism. So most scholars and versions change the form of the verb slightly so that it says, “he strengthened.” In other words, he enabled the springs to flow continuously with water. As in 8:28a, the figurative idea of strengthening springs of water may not be clear, so some versions translate this line less figuratively. For example:

and put the deep underground springs in place (NCV)

and created the springs that fill the ocean (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בְּ⁠אַמְּצ֣⁠וֹ שְׁחָקִ֣ים

when,he,made_firm skies

Here, Wisdom speaks of God forming the clouds as if he made them firm. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “when he created the clouds”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

בַּ֝⁠עֲז֗וֹז עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם

when,became_strong fountains_of deep

Here Wisdom speaks of the springs flowing with much water as if they were people who became strong. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “when the springs of the watery deep flowed strongly”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

עִינ֥וֹת תְּהוֹם

fountains_of deep

Here Wisdom is using the possessive form to describe the springs that supply water to the watery deep, which refers to the bottom of the ocean. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “the springs that fill the watery deep”

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

8:28 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

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.