PROV 10:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ἄργυρος πεπυρωμένος γλῶσσα δικαίου, καρδία δὲ ἀσεβοῦς ἐκλείψει.
(Arguros pepurōmenos glōssa dikaiou, kardia de asebous ekleipsei. )

BrTr The tongue of the just is tried silver; but the heart of the ungodly shall fail.

ULT Choice silver is the tongue of the righteous one;
⇔ the heart of the wicked ones is like little.

UST What righteous people say is as valuable as the best silver;
⇔ but what wicked people think is worthless.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver.
⇔ The heart of the wicked is of little worth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET What the righteous say is like the best silver,
⇔ but what the wicked think is of little value.

LSV The tongue of the righteous [is] chosen silver,
The heart of the wicked—as a little thing.

FBV What good people say is like the best silver, but the mind of the wicked isn't worth much.

T4T ⇔ What righteous/good people say [MTY] is as valuable as pure silver [MET];
⇔ what wicked people think is worthless.

LEB • Choice silver is a tongue of righteousness, a heart[fn] of wickedness is of little worth .[fn]

10:? Or “mind”

10:? Literally “like a little”

BBE The tongue of the upright man is like tested silver: the heart of the evil-doer is of little value.

Moff Good men’s talk is like rare silver:
⇔ a bad man’s views are little worth.

JPS The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth.

ASV The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver:
⇔ The heart of the wicked is little worth.

DRA The tongue of the just is as choice silver: but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth.

YLT The tongue of the righteous [is] chosen silver, The heart of the wicked — as a little thing.

Drby The tongue of the righteous [man] is [as] choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth.

RV The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

SLT The tongue of the just is choice silver: the heart of the unjust is as little.

Wbstr The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

KJB-1769 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

KJB-1611 The tongue of the iust is as choise siluer: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
(The tongue of the just is as choise silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.)

Bshps The tongue of the iust man is as tried siluer: but the heart of the vngodly is a thyng of naught.
(The tongue of the just man is as tried silver: but the heart of the ungodly is a thing of naught/nothing.)

Gnva The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer: but the heart of the wicked is litle worth.
(The tongue of the just man is as fined silver: but the heart of the wicked is little worth. )

Cvdl An innocent tonge is a noble treasure, but the herte of the vngodly is nothinge worth.
(An innocent tongue is a noble treasure, but the heart of the ungodly is nothing worth.)

Wycl Chosun siluer is the tunge of a iust man; the herte of wickid men is for nouyt.
(Chosun silver is the tongue of a just man; the heart of wicked men is for naught/nothing.)

Luth Des Gerechten Zunge ist köstlich Silber; aber der GOttlosen Herz ist nichts.
(Des righteous_(ones) tongue is delicious silver(n); but the/of_the godless_one(s) heart is nothing.)

ClVg Argentum electum lingua justi; cor autem impiorum pro nihilo.
(Silver chosen tongue/language just; heart however of_the_wicked for by_no_means. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

10:20

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^20a The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,

^20bbut the heart of the wicked has little worth.

10:20a

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,

The words of a person who does what is right are like pure silver,
What a righteous person says is like the most valuable silver.

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver: This metaphor compares the tongue of the righteous to choice silver. The word tongue is a figure of speech (metonymy) that represents the words that a righteous person speaks. The term choice silver refers to silver that has been refined, so it is silver of the highest value.

The parts of this comparison have more than one similarity. Choice silver:

is very valuable
has been refined or tested
is pure

Similarly, the words of a righteous person:

are valuable
are trustworthy
are free from worthless ideas

In some languages, it may not be clear or natural to use a metaphor here. Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
What the righteous say is like the best silver (NET)
The words of a righteous person are as valuable as pure silver
If a figure of speech does not express the meaning effectively, you may translate this line without using a figure of speech. For example:
What a good person says is worth listening to

10:20b

but the heart of the wicked has little worth.

but the thoughts of a bad/wicked person are useless/worthless.
What a wicked person thinks is worth almost nothing.

but the heart of the wicked has little worth: The word heart refers primarily to the “mind” (NRSV) or “thoughts” (CEV). In contrast to “choice silver,” the mind of the wicked has little worth. In fact, it is practically worthless. Some other ways to express this meaning are:

but the thoughts of an evil person are almost worthless (CEV)

a wicked person’s ideas are worthless (GNT)

For the word heart, see the note on 4:4a. For the word wicked, see the note on 10:3b.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

כֶּ֣סֶף נִ֭בְחָר

silver choice

Here Solomon speaks of the value of what righteous people say as if it were the best quality silver. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “Extremely valuable” or “Like choice silver”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְשׁ֣וֹן

tongue_of

See how you translated the same use of tongue in [6:17](../06/17.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

לְשׁ֣וֹן צַדִּ֑יק

tongue_of law-abiding/just

See how you translated the righteous one in [10:16](../10/16.md).

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

לֵ֖ב רְשָׁעִ֣ים כִּ⁠מְעָֽט

heart_of wicked [is]_like,a_little

This clause is a strong contrast with the previous clause. Use the most natural way in your language to indicate a contrast. Alternate translation: “by contrast, the heart of the wicked ones is like little”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לֵ֖ב

heart_of

See how you translated the same use of heart in [2:2](../02/02.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כִּ⁠מְעָֽט

[is]_like,a_little

Here, like little refers to having little value. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “has little value” or “is not valuable”

Parallel PROV 10:20

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

10:20

10:20a

10:20b