PROV 14:31 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.)

14:31 OSHB note: We read the punctuation in L differently from BHQ.

14:31 OSHB note: We read punctuation in L differently from BHS.

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 Ὁ συκοφαντῶν πένητα παροξύνει τὸν ποιήσαντα αὐτὸν, ὁ δὲ τιμῶν αὐτὸν ἐλεεῖ πτωχόν.
(Ho sukofantōn penaʸta paroxunei ton poiaʸsanta auton, ho de timōn auton eleʼei ptōⱪon. )

BrTr He that oppresses the needy provokes his Maker: but he that honours him has pity upon the poor.

ULT An oppressor of a lowly one taunts his maker,
⇔ but one showing favor to a needy one honors him.

UST People who make poor people suffer ridicule Yahweh, who made them,
⇔ but people who are kind to needy people respect Yahweh.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker,
⇔ but he who is kind to the needy honours him.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who oppresses the poor insults his Creator,
⇔ but whoever shows favor to the needy honors him.

LSV An oppressor of the poor reproaches his Maker,
And whoever is honoring Him
Is favoring the needy.

FBV Anyone who oppresses the poor insults their Maker, but anyone who is kind to the needy honors him.

T4T ⇔ Those who oppress poor people are insulting God, the one who made those poor people,
⇔ but acting kindly toward them is respecting God.

LEB • He who oppresses the poor insults him who made him, but he who has mercy on the poor honors him.

BBE He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.

Moff He who is hard on the forlorn reviles his Maker:
⇔ he honours his Maker who is kindly to the poor.
⇔ A bad man is brought down by his own evildoing,
⇔ but the good man may trust to his integrity.

JPS He that oppresseth the poor blasphemeth his Maker; but he that is gracious unto the needy honoureth Him.

ASV He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker;
⇔ But he that hath mercy on the needy honoreth him.

DRA He that oppresseth the poor, upbraideth his Maker: but he that hath pity on the poor, honoureth him.

YLT An oppressor of the poor reproacheth his Maker, And whoso is honouring Him Is favouring the needy.

Drby He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth Him is gracious to the needy.

RV He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that hath mercy on the needy honoureth him.
(He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth/reproaches his Maker: but he that hath/has mercy on the needy honoureth him. )

SLT He oppressing the poor reproached him making him: and he honoring him compassionated the needy.

Wbstr He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoreth him hath mercy on the poor.

KJB-1769 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
(He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth/reproaches his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath/has mercy on the poor. )

KJB-1611 Hee that oppresseth the poore, reprocheth his Maker: but hee that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poore.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps He that doth a poore man wrong, blasphemeth his maker: but who so honoureth him, hath pitie on the poore.
(He that doth/does a poor man wrong, blasphemeth/blasphemes his maker: but whoso/whoever honoureth him, hath/has pity on the poor.)

Gnva He that oppresseth the poore, reprooueth him that made him: but hee honoureth him, that hath mercie on the poore.
(He that oppresseth the poor, reproveth him that made him: but he honoureth him, that hath/has mercy on the poor. )

Cvdl He that doth a poore man wroge, blasphemeth his maker: but who so hath pitie of the poore, doth honoure vnto God.
(He that doth/does a poor man wroge, blasphemeth/blasphemes his maker: but whoso/whoever hath/has pity of the poor, doth/does honour unto God.)

Wycl He that falsli chalengith a nedi man, dispisith his maker; but he that hath merci on a pore man, onourith that makere.
(He that falsli challengeth a needy man, despiseth/despises his maker; but he that hath/has mercy on a poor man, honourith that makere.)

Luth Wer dem Geringen Gewalt tut, der lästert desselben Schöpfer; aber wer sich des Armen erbarmet, der ehret GOtt,
(Who to_him low/small_(one) violence does, the/of_the blasphemes of_the_same creator; but who itself/yourself/themselves the poor_(one) mercy, the/of_the honours(v) God,)

ClVg Qui calumniatur egentem exprobrat factori ejus; honorat autem eum qui miseretur pauperis.
(Who calumniatur egentem reproaches maker his; honour/respect(n)at however him who/which to_be_pitied poor. )

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

14:31

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^31a Whoever who oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,

^31bbut whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

The theme of this proverb is similar to 14:21, 17:5, and 19:17.

14:31a–b

poor…needy: As with the similar pair in 14:20 and 14:21, no contrast is intended here between these two terms.According to Waltke (p. 607), the words ʾebyon “needy,” dal “poor,” and ʿani/ʿanaw “poor/afflicted” are all synonyms. “No distinction is intended” between them. They both refer to the same person or group of people.

their Maker…Him: In Hebrew, these parallel terms are literally “his maker…him.” Some English versions clarify the referent of the pronoun “him.” For example:

whoever is kind to the needy honors God (NIV)

if you are kind to helpless people, it shows that you respect God (EASY)

However, if you decide to clarify the referent of “him,” it is recommended that you use the name of God, “the LORD.” In Hebrew, this name occurs over fifty times in this section (10:1–22:16). The word “God” (ʾelohim in Hebrew) does not occur in this section.The book of Proverbs usually refers to God by his name (YHWH). In chapters 1–9, a form of ʾelohim (“God”) occurs explicitly in 2:5, 2:17, and 3:4. In section 22:17–31:31, it occurs in 25:2, 30:5, and 30:9. In a few verses in section 10:1–22:16, such as here in 14:31, one or more English versions explicitly use the word “God.” In verses where the meaning lines of the Display make explicit an implied reference to the divine being, they follow the usage of the Hebrew text in that context.

In some languages, a specific term needs to occur before a general term, such as “their maker.” In these languages, it may be necessary to make “the LORD” explicit in the first line. Otherwise, it may imply that “his maker” and “the LORD” are not the same person.

14:31a

Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker,

A person who oppresses/mistreats those who have low status belittles/insults Yahweh who created them.
When a person causes hardship to poor people, he mocks/despises Yahweh, their maker/creator.

Whoever oppresses the poor taunts their Maker: In Hebrew, the word poor is singular, and the phrase their Maker is literally “his maker.” So the phrase “his maker” could refer to the one who made the poor person. It could also refer to the one who made the oppressor. This ambiguity has resulted in different interpretations:

The pronoun refers to the poor. For example:
If you oppress poor people, you insult the God who made them (GNT) (BSB, NIV, GNT, NCV)
The pronoun refers to people who oppress the poor. For example:
If you mistreat the poor, you insult your Creator (CEV) (CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the poor is the nearest pronoun referent. Also, the advice against oppressing the poor has more weight if it emphasizes the LORD as the creator of the poor.

However, it is true that the LORD created all people, not only the poor. So it is also acceptable if you can translate in a way that allows either meaning. For example:

To oppress the weak insults the Creator (NJB)

He who oppresses a poor man insults his Maker (RSV)

Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker (NRSV)

oppresses: This word refers to creating hardship or suffering for people of lower status. A person oppresses others by forcing them to work overly hard or by cheating them by giving them low wages.

the poor: In Hebrew, this word for poor refers to people who lack material things. They belong to one of the lower social classes, so they also lack power and significance. Most versions translate this Hebrew word with the general word “poor.”The Hebrew word for “poor” that is used here is dal. TWOT (#433a) glosses it as “one who is low.” NIDOTTE (H1924) has two other glosses that are relevant in Proverbs: “insignificant” and “powerless.” The verses where this word occurs are: 10:15b, 14:31a, 19:4b, 19:17a, 21:13a, 22:9b, 22:16a, 22:22a, 28:3a, 28:8b, 28:11b, 28:15b, 29:7a, 29:14a. Some other ways to translate it are:

people who lack possessions/money

a person who lacks power

those who have low status

See the note on 10:4a and the footnote there for information on the other words for “poor” in Proverbs.

taunts: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as taunts usually means to mock or belittle someone with words. Here, however, it means to despise, scorn, or treat the LORD as worthless. A person does this by oppressing the poor. Several versions use the verb “insult.” This may be a good choice if it fits with actions as well as words.

14:31b

but whoever is kind to the needy honors Him.

But a person who shows kindness to these poor people who have many needs honors Yahweh by doing so.
But when he treats them with kindness, he also/thereby shows Yahweh proper respect.

the needy: The word that the BSB translates here as needy is one of the four Hebrew words that refer to the “poor” in Proverbs.The Hebrew word for “poor” that is used here is ʾebyon. Both TWOT (#3a) and NIDOTTE (H36) agree that this word emphasizes poor people who are “needy.” According to NIDOTTE, this word is used to refer to people who were “virtually destitute, the day laborers of the ancient world.” Verses where this word occurs are: 14:31b, 30:14d, 31:9b, 31:20b. This word emphasizes people who are needy. They may need food, clothing, or protection from people who oppress them. These needy people need to look for work every day. They depend on a daily wage for their survival.

Many English versions translate this word in the same way as the BSB. Some versions use a more general word. For example:

the poor (NET)

See the note on 10:4a and the footnote there for information on the other words for “poor” in Proverbs.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

עֹ֣שֵֽׁק דָּ֭ל & עֹשֵׂ֑⁠הוּ & חֹנֵ֥ן אֶבְיֽוֹן

oppresses poor & his_of,maker & kind needy

The oppressor. a lowly one, his, one showing favor, and a needy one refer to types of people in general, not to specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any oppressor of any lowly person … that person’s maker … any person who shows favor to any needy person”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

דָּ֭ל

poor

The phrase lowly one refers to a poor person. See how you translated the same use of “lowly ones” in [10:15](../10/15.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

עֹשֵׂ֑⁠הוּ

his_of,maker

Here, maker refers to Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “God, his maker” or “his maker, who is God” or “his Maker”

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

וּ֝⁠מְכַבְּד֗⁠וֹ

and_[is],honoring_of,him

Here, him refers to Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “but … honors Yahweh”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

חֹנֵ֥ן

kind

See how you translated the same use of “shows favor to” in [14:21](../14/21.md).

Parallel PROV 14:31

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

14:31

14:31a–b

14:31a

14:31b