PROV 14:28 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=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) The pride of a king is being over lots of people,
⇔ ^ but a shortage of people signals the ruin of a ruler.

Key: .
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 Ἐν πολλῷ ἔθνει δόξα βασιλέως, ἐν δὲ ἐκλείψει λαοῦ συντριβὴ δυνάστου.
(En pollōi ethnei doxa basileōs, en de ekleipsei laou suntribaʸ dunastou. )

BrTr In a populous nation is the glory of a king: but in the failure of people is the ruin of a prince.

ULT With the abundance of people is the majesty of a king,
⇔ but with the end of the population comes the ruin of the ruler.

UST Kings who rule over many people are glorious,
⇔ but kings who have no people to rule over have nothing.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE In the multitude of people is the king’s glory,
⇔ but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET A king’s glory is the abundance of people,
⇔ but the lack of subjects is the ruin of a ruler.

LSV The honor of a king [is] in the multitude of a people,
And the ruin of a prince in lack of people.

FBV The glory of a king is the number of his subjects, for a ruler is nothing without them.

T4T ⇔ If a king rules over many people, many people will be able to honor him;
⇔ if he has only a few people in his kingdom, he will have very little [HYP] power.

LEB • In the multitude of people is the glory of the king, but without a population, a prince is ruined.

BBE A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.

Moff When a nation swarms, it is the monarch’s glory:
⇔ when a nation is scanty, it is the king’s scathe.
¶ 

JPS In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the want of people is the ruin of the prince.

ASV In the multitude of people is the king’s glory;
⇔ But in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

DRA In the multitude of people is the dignity of the king: and in the small number of people the dishonour of the prince.

YLT In the multitude of a people [is] the honour of a king, And in lack of people the ruin of a prince.

Drby In the multitude of people is the king's glory; but in the lack of people is the ruin of a prince.

RV In the multitude of people is the king’s glory: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

SLT In a multitude of people the king’s decoration: and in the cessation of the people the destruction of the prince.

Wbstr In the multitude of people is the king's honor: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

KJB-1769 In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.

KJB-1611 In the multitude of people is the kings honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
(Same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps In the multitude of people is the kynges honour: but the decay of the people is the confusion of the prince.
(In the multitude of people is the kings honour: but the decay of the people is the confusion of the prince.)

Gnva In the multitude of the people is the honour of a King, and for the want of people commeth the destruction of the Prince.
(In the multitude of the people is the honour of a King, and for the want of people cometh/comes the destruction of the Prince. )

Cvdl The increase and prosperite of the comons is the kynges honoure, but the decaye of the people is the confucio of the prynce.
(The increase and prosperity of the commons is the kings honour, but the decay of the people is the confusion of the prince.)

Wycl The dignite of the king is in the multitude of puple; and the schenschipe of a prince is in the fewnesse of puple.
(The dignite of the king is in the multitude of people; and the harm/trouble of a prince is in the fewness of people.)

Luth Wo ein König viel Volks hat, das ist seine Herrlichkeit; wo aber, wenig Volks ist, das macht einen Herrn blöde.
(Where a king many peoples has, the is his glory/splendour; where but, few peoples is, the power a Lord stupid.)

ClVg In multitudine populi dignitas regis, et in paucitate plebis ignominia principis.
(In multitude of_the_people dignity king, and in/into/on a_fewtate of_the_people disgrace to_the_princes. )

SOTN SIL Open Translation 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

14:28

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^28a A large population is a king’s splendor,

^28bbut a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.

14:28a–b

a king…a prince: Both of these parallel terms refer here to the ruler of a country. No contrast is intended between them. The BSB translates the same word that it translates as prince here as “rulers” in 8:15b (see the note there). For other ways to translate the word king, see the note on 1:1.

14:28a

A large population is a king’s splendor,

The greatness of a king can be seen in the many people whom he rules.
A ruler with many subjects is greatly honored.

A large population is a king’s splendor: This line states a general principle. It indicates that a king’s power, honor, or reputation is based on the number of people who are his subjects. Another way to translate this line is:

A king is honored when he has many people to rule (NCV)

14:28b

but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.

A ruler who has no people will soon be destroyed.
If he has very few subjects, his power/reputation is completely destroyed.

but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin: For the word translated here as ruin, see the note in 13:3b. If a king/ruler ends up with no one under his authority, his power and reputation will be destroyed. He will no longer have any influence. Another way to translate this line is:

lack of them makes a prince of no account (REB)

This line is an example of hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration for the sake of emphasis). Some versions make the contrast less extreme. For example:

dwindling population, ruler’s ruin (NJB)

if his people are few, it is the prince’s ruin (NAB)

You will need to decide if this kind of adjustment is necessary to avoid wrong meaning. Remember that the extreme situation described in this line (a king with no subjects whatsoever) creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ⁠רָב־עָ֥ם הַדְרַת־מֶ֑לֶךְ

[is]_in_[the],multitude_of people glory_of king

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of abundance and majesty, you could express the same ideas in other ways. Alternate translation: “An abundant number of people is what makes a king majestic”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֶ֑לֶךְ & רָזֽוֹן

king & prince

Here, a king and the potentate both refer to rulers in general, not to specific kings. If it would be helpful, you could use more natural expressions in your language. Alternate translation: “any king … any potentate”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠בְ⁠אֶ֥פֶס

and_[is],in,not_of

Here, end refers to a lack of people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “but with the decline of”

Parallel PROV 14:28

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

14:28

14:28a–b

14:28a

14:28b