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OET (OET-LV) A_tomb having_been_opened_up the throat is of_them, with_the tongues of_them they_were_deceiving:
Poison of_asps is under the lips of_them,
OET (OET-RV) ‘Their words lead to death,
⇔ their tongues are deceptive.’
⇔ ‘Their lips spray out poison.’
In this section, Paul used quotations from the Old Testament to show that the Jews sin against God. They are not better than the Gentiles. God will hold them responsible for their sins. Paul also said that when someone follows the law of Moses, that does not make God say he is righteous.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
Both Jews and Gentiles sin
No One is Righteous (NIV)
Everyone has sinned
Here Paul used verses from the Old Testament which talk about body parts: throats, tongues, lips, mouths, feet. Each of these is a figure of speech. The throat, tongue, lips, and mouth refers to speaking. The feet refers to doing. In each case consider whether the figure of speech is clear. Also consider how to make these verses poetic.
“Their throats are open graves;
“Their throat is like an open grave,
“What they say is rotten/foul, like a dead person’s body in an uncovered hole in the ground.
Their throats are open graves: This clause is a figure of speech. Looking down someone’s throat is to see a deep hole. An open grave is also a deep hole. It indicates that what people say is like a dead body, full of rottenness or bad things.
In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Make it a simile. For example:
Their throats are like an open grave
Explain the connection in the text. For example:
Their throats are full of rottenness like an open grave
Explain the meaning of throats and the connection in the text. For example:
The words coming out of their open throats are full of rottenness like an open grave
Their words are full of rottenness like an open grave
Translate the literal meaning and explain it in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This saying indicates that what people say is like a dead body, full of rottenness or bad things.
open graves: This phrase refers to a hole with a dead body in it. The hole has not been filled with dirt.
their tongues practice deceit.”
and they deceive with their tongues.”
With their deceiving talk they try to lead people astray/off the right path.”
their tongues practice deceit: The Greek is literally “with their tongues they were deceiving.” It indicates that the people spoke words that deceived others. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
they use their tongue to deceive (ESV)
they use their tongues for telling lies (NCV)
In some languages it is not natural to refer to tongues deceiving. If that is true in your language, translate in a natural way. For example:
They use their words to deceive their fellowsKankanaey Back Translation on TW.
They are liarsWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.
This quote is from Psalm 5:9. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.
“The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
“It is as if they have the venom of vipers behind their lips.”
“Their lips speak hurtful words like the venom of vipers.”
The venom of vipers is on their lips: This clause is a figure of speech. These people’s words are hurtful like venom of vipers. Evil talk can hurt people greatly.
In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Make it a simile. For example:
It is as if they have the venom of vipers on their lips
Their words are like snake poison (NCV)
Explain the connection in the text. For example:
Their lips speak hurtful words like the venom of vipers hurts people
Translate the literal meaning and explain it in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This saying indicates that what people say is very hurtful, like the venom of vipers.
The venom of vipers: The word vipers refers to several kinds of snakes, including the Egyptian cobra, the European asp, and various vipers. Their bite and venom can kill a person.
Some languages do not have a word for vipers. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
Use the name of a kind of poisonous snake in your area. For example:
The venom of asps (ESV)
Use the general word for snake and indicate that it is poisonous. For example:
The liquid/essence of venomous snakes
Use the general word for snake and allow the context to indicate that it is poisonous. For example:
the venomous of snakes
venom: This word refers to the liquid in some snakes that is poisonous to other animals and people.
on their lips: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as on their lips is literally “under the lips” (as in the ESV). It refers to the fangs containing the venom lying in the lower part of the mouth. They are concealed by the lips. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
from their lips (GNT)
behind their lips (NJB)
Their lips hide the venom of poisonous snakes (GW)
This quote is from Psalm 140:3. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks
τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν; ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
These two sentences are a quotation from [Psalm 5:10](../psa/005/010.md). It may be helpful to your readers to indicate this by setting off all of this material with quotation marks or with whatever punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism
τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν; ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν; ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
These three sentences mean the same thing. Paul says the same thing three times, in slightly different ways, to show how harmful the words are that these people say. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine the phrases into one. Alternate translation: [The things they say are deadly, deceptive, and damaging]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun
ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν
the throat_‹is› ˱of˲_them
Paul quotes David speaking of these people’s throats in general, not of one particular throat. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural phrase. Alternate translation: [Each of their throats]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν
the throat_‹is› ˱of˲_them
Here Paul quotes David using throat to describe something people would say by using their throats to say it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [What they say]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
Paul quotes David using opened grave to describe these people’s throat as if it were a deep hole containing rotting corpses. He means that the things these people say are morally corrupt and offend God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [Their words express moral corruption]
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν
˱with˲_the tongues ˱of˲_them
Here Paul quotes David using tongues to describe something people would say to deceive someone, using their tongues to say it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [with what they say]
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks
ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
This sentence is a quotation from [Psalm 140:3](../psa/140/003.md). It may be helpful to your readers to indicate this by setting off all of this material with quotation marks or with whatever punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession
ἰὸς ἀσπίδων
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
Paul is using the possessive form to describe poison that comes from asps, which are venomous snakes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [Asp’s poison]
Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἰὸς ἀσπίδων
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
Paul quotes David using poison of asps to refer to what people say as if what they say contained poison. He means that the things they say harm people as does deadly venom. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: [What hurts people like a poisonous snake bite] or [Speech that hurts people]
Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν Ἰός ἀσπίδων ὑπό τά χείλη αὐτῶν)
Here Paul quotes David using lips to describe something people would say to harm someone by using their lips to say it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [is in what they say]
OET (OET-LV) A_tomb having_been_opened_up the throat is of_them, with_the tongues of_them they_were_deceiving:
Poison of_asps is under the lips of_them,
OET (OET-RV) ‘Their words lead to death,
⇔ their tongues are deceptive.’
⇔ ‘Their lips spray out poison.’
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 SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.