PROV 10:4 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) Idle hands lead to poverty,
⇔ ^ but those who work hard gain wealth.

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 Πενία ἄνδρα ταπεινοῖ, χεῖρες δὲ ἀνδρείων πλουτίζουσιν·
(Penia andra tapeinoi, ⱪeires de andreiōn ploutizousin; )

ULT A palm of idleness makes poverty,
⇔ but the hand of the diligent ones makes rich.

UST People who are lazy become poor,
⇔ but people who work hard become rich.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand,
⇔ but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who is lazy becomes poor,
⇔ but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy.

LSV Poor [is] he who is working [with] a slothful hand,
And the hand of the diligent makes rich.

FBV Lazy hands make you poor, but hard-working hands make you rich.

T4T ⇔ Lazy people soon become poor;
⇔ it is those who work hard who become rich.

LEB • A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent enriches.

BBE He who is slow in his work becomes poor, but the hand of the ready worker gets in wealth.

Moff A slack hand makes men poor:
⇔ a busy hand makes men rich.

JPS He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

ASV He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand;
⇔ But the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

DRA The slothful hand hath wrought poverty: but the hand of the industrious getteth riches. He that trusteth to lies feedeth the winds: and the same runneth after birds that fly away.

YLT Poor [is] he who is working — a slothful hand, And the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Drby He cometh to want that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

RV He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
(He becometh/becomes poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh/makes rich. )

SLT A slothful hand makes poverty, and the hand of the active will make rich.

Wbstr He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

KJB-1769 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
(He becometh/becomes poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh/makes rich. )

KJB-1611 Hee becommeth poore that dealeth with a slacke hand: but the hand of the diligent, maketh rich.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps An idle hande maketh poore: but a quicke labouring hande maketh riche.
(An idle hand maketh/makes poor: but a quick labouring hand maketh/makes riche.)

Gnva A slouthfull hand maketh poore: but the hand of the diligent maketh riche.
(A slothful hand maketh/makes poor: but the hand of the diligent maketh/makes riche. )

Cvdl An ydle hande maketh poore, but a quycke laboringe hande maketh riche.
(An idle hand maketh/makes poor, but a quick laboringe hand maketh/makes riche.)

Wycl A slow hond hath wrouyt nedynesse; but the hond of stronge men makith redi richessis. Forsothe he that enforsith to gete `ony thing bi leesyngis, fedith the wyndis; sotheli the same man sueth briddis fleynge.
(A slow hand hath/has wrought/done neediness; but the hand of strong men maketh/makes ready riches. For_certain/Truly he that enforsith to gotten any thing by falsehoods, fedith the winds; truly the same man sueth birds fleeing.)

Luth Lässige Hand macht arm; aber der Fleißigen Hand macht reich.
(Lässige hand power arm; but the/of_the diligent_(one) hand power rich/wealthy.)

ClVg Egestatem operata est manus remissa; manus autem fortium divitias parat. Qui nititur mendaciis, hic pascit ventos; idem autem ipse sequitur aves volantes.[fn]
(Egestatem works it_is hands remissa; hands however of_the_brave riches parat. Who nititur lies, this/here feeds with_the_winds; the_same however exactly_that/himself follows birds flying. )

10.4 Egestatem operata. Qui negligenter vivit in hoc sæculo, egebit bonis in futuro; at qui fortiter Domino militant, divitiis æternæ beatitudinis remunerantur.

10.4 Egestatem works. Who negligenter lives in/into/on this forever, egebit good in/into/on future; at who/which bravely/strongly Master militant, wealth eternal of_happiness remunerantur.

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

10:4

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^4a Idle hands make one poor,

^4bbut diligent hands bring wealth.

10:4b

but diligent hands bring wealth.

but the person who is industrious will gain wealth.
but if you^(sing) work hard you will become rich.

10:4a–b

Idle hands…diligent hands: These phrases are figures of speech (synecdoche). In these figures of speech, hands are parts of the body that represent the entire person. Here they contrast a person who is lazy, idle, or negligent with one who is diligent, industrious, or hard working. For example:

The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy. (NET)

This meaning may also be expressed in other ways. For example:

Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich (GNT)

If a person is lazy, he will become poor, but if he is industrious, he will become rich.

Laziness causes poverty, but diligence results in wealth.

10:4a

Idle hands make one poor,

The person who is lazy will become poor,
If you^(sing) are lazy you will become poor,

poor: In Hebrew, this word for poor refers to people who are extremely poor. A person who is poor has no money or other resources to rely on.

In Proverbs, there are at least three other Hebrew word roots with similar aspects of meaning.The Hebrew word used in 10:4a is raʾš (also written as raš) or ruš. Both TWOT (#2138) and NIDOTTE (H8133) say that this word refers to people who are “destitute.” It emphasizes extreme poverty. Verses in Proverbs where ruš/raš is used are: 10:4a, 13:7b, 13:8b, 13:23a, 14:20a, 17:5a, 18:23a, 19:1a, 19:7a, 19:22b, 22:2a, 22:7a, 28:3a, 28:6a, 28:27a, 29:13a. Verses where a slightly different form occurs (NIDOTTE H8203, reš/riš) are: 6:11a, 10:15b, 13:18a, 24:34a, 28:19b, 30:8b, 31:7a. Other Hebrew words that refer to poor people are: dal (see 14:31a), ʿani/ʿanaw (see 14:21b), and ʾebyon (see 14:31b). According to TWOT (#433a), dal emphasizes lack of material resources, ʿani/ʿanaw emphasizes distress or oppression, and ʾebyon emphasizes material need. In some contexts, they may emphasize one aspect of meaning more than another. But usually, they do not contrast with each other.

They all refer to people who lack money and other material resources. Often they are in need of food, clothing, and shelter. These people have low social status. They are often oppressed or treated unfairly by those who are wealthy and have higher status.

English versions translate them in different ways, depending on the context. Here almost all versions use the general words “poverty” or poor.

Some languages may have several words that refer to “poverty” or poor people. If that is true in your language, you may use a general word, as in most English versions. You may also use a more specific word that refers to extremely poor people.

In each verse where one of the Hebrew words for “poor” occurs, you will need to make a similar decision. In some languages, it will be appropriate to use the same word in most contexts. In other languages, it may be more effective to use a word that emphasizes a specific aspect of poverty.

Parallel PROV 10:4

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

10:4

10:4b

10:4a–b

10:4a