PROV 16:4 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=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

16:4 OSHB note: We read one or more accents in L differently from BHQ.

Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
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).

ULT Yahweh has made all for its purpose
⇔ and even a wicked one for the day of evil.

UST When Yahweh made everything, he planned what would happen to each thing.
⇔ He has even made wicked people for the time when he will punish them.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The LORD has made everything for its own end—
⇔ yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The Lord works everything for its own ends –
⇔ even the wicked for the day of disaster.

LSV YHWH has worked all things for Himself,
And also the wicked—for a day of evil.

FBV The Lord has a purpose in everything he does, even the wicked for the day of trouble.

T4T ⇔ Yahweh knows why he does everything that he does;
⇔ he has even prepared the wicked for the time that he will punish them.

LEB • All Yahweh has made is for his[fn] purpose, and even the wicked for the day of trouble.

16:? Or “its”

BBE The Lord has made everything for his purpose, even the sinner for the day of evil.

Moff The Eternal has made everything for an end of its own--
⇔ yes, and the wicked for their day of doom!

JPS The LORD hath made every things for His own purpose, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

ASV Jehovah hath made everything for its own end;
⇔ Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

DRA The Lord hath made all things for himself: the wicked also for the evil day.

YLT All things hath Jehovah wrought for Himself, And also the wicked [worketh] for a day of evil.

Drby Jehovah hath wrought everything on his own account, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

RV The LORD hath made every thing for its own end: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
(The LORD hath/has made every thing for its own end: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. )

SLT Jehovah made all to his purpose, and also the unjust for the day of evil.

Wbstr The LORD hath made all things for himself: yes, even the wicked for the day of evil.

KJB-1769 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
(The LORD hath/has made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. )

KJB-1611 The LORD hath made all things for himselfe: yea, euen the wicked for the day of euill.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The Lorde hath made all thynges for his owne sake: yea, the vngodly for the day of wrath.
(The Lord hath/has made all things for his own sake: yea, the ungodly for the day of wrath.)

Gnva The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake: yea, euen the wicked for the day of euill.
(The Lord hath/has made all things for his own sake: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. )

Cvdl The LORDE doth all thinges for his owne sake, yee & when he kepeth ye vngodly for ye daye of wrath.
(The LORD doth/does all things for his own sake, ye/you_all and when he keepeth/keeps ye/you_all ungodly for ye/you_all day of wrath.)

Wycl The Lord wrouyte alle thingis for hym silf; and he made redi a wickid man to the yuel dai.
(The Lord wrought/done all things for himself; and he made ready a wicked man to the evil day.)

Luth Der HErr macht alles um sein selbst willen, auch den GOttlosen zum bösen Tage.
(The LORD power all/everything around/by/for be himself/itself will, also the godless_one(s) for_the evil days.)

ClVg Universa propter semetipsum operatus est Dominus; impium quoque ad diem malum.[fn]
(Universa because oneself worked it_is Master; impious/ungodly too to day evil. )

16.4 Universa propter semetipsum, etc. Nulla fuit Domino causa operandi, nisi sola voluntas, ut suam scilicet, bonitatem rationabili creaturæ, quam perpetuo faceret beatam, ostenderet: eum vero qui bonum conditionis propria sponte deseruit, id est diabolum, cum suis sequacibus, justa severitate damnavit.

16.4 Universa because oneself, etc. Nulla it_was Master cause operandi, except alone will/desire(n), as his_own namely, goodness rationabili creatures, how forever would_do blessed, would_show: him indeed/however who/which good conditionis own voluntarily deserted, that it_is devil, when/with to_his_own sequacibus, just sewith_truth damnavit.

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

16:4

The first line states a general principle. The second line gives a specific example of this principle.

^4aThe LORD has made everything for His purpose—

^4b even the wicked for the day of disaster.

16:4a

The LORD has made everything for His purpose—

Everything that Yahweh causes to happen fulfills his own plans/purposes.
Yahweh makes everything happen according to his own plans/purposes.

The LORD has made everything for His purpose: The verb that the BSB translates as has made can mean either “has done” or “has accomplished.”NIDOTTE (H7188) glosses this verb (paʿal) as “do, make, produce, practice, accomplish, perform.” BDB (#6466) glosses it as “to do, to make.” TWOT (#1792) has “to do.” The verb occurs fifty-six times in the OT. Although it is almost always used with the sense “do” rather than “make,” many versions and scholars understand it to mean “make” here in Proverbs 16:4. The phrase for His purpose can mean either his (the LORD’s) own ends/purposes or its (everything’s) own end/purpose.The situation is actually more complicated. The MT reading, lammaʿanehu, may be derived from the noun maʿaneh (“answer,” see 16:1b) with the definite article plus a suffixed pronoun. Scholars who favor this reading take “answer” in the sense of “corresponding consequences” (Ross, page 1003) or “counterpart” (McKane, page 497; Hubbard, page 235). Waltke (page 12) says that “everything will be put to some use and matched with its proper fate.” According to many scholars, however, this form is ungrammatical, since an article does not normally occur with a suffixed noun. Fox (page 611) also asserts that the word maʿaneh “answer” does not occur elsewhere with the meaning of “counterpart.” Most scholars, including Fox, think that this form comes from a different root, lǝmaʿan with the meaning “purpose” or “end.” See the note on 15:24a–b, where this same word occurs. These ambiguities have resulted in at least three slightly different interpretations:

The LORD causes everything to happen according to his own purpose. For example:
The Lord makes everything go as he pleases (NCV)
The Lord has a reason for everything he does (CEV) (CEV, NCV, NIV)The rendering of the NIV11 is a combination of interpretations (1) and (2). It has: “…works out everything to its proper end.” The NET is similar. It has: “works everything for its own ends.”
The LORD has made everything for its own purpose. For example:
The Lord has made each thing for its own end (REB)
Everything the Lord has made has its destiny (GNT) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NJB, NRSV, REB, GNT)
The LORD has made everything for his own purpose. For example:
The Lord has made everything for his own purposes (NLT) (GW, KJV, NAB, NLT)

The Display will follow interpretation (1), but you may follow any of these interpretations. The purpose for everything is ultimately what the LORD intended to happen. The LORD also made everything in such a way that its end or destiny will be appropriate.

16:4b

even the wicked for the day of disaster.

What will happen to wicked people is that they will face a time of destruction/punishment.
This is true even for wicked people. Because there will be a future time when Yahweh will judge/destroy them.

even the wicked for the day of disaster: This line indicates that the LORD even made wicked people with an appropriate purpose or destiny in mind. That purpose is the day of disaster. This phrase refers to a time that God has designated when wicked people will undergo disaster, punishment, or judgment. Some other ways to translate this line are:

and the destiny of the wicked is destruction (GNT)

He has even prepared a day of disaster for evil people. (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

כֹּ֤ל & לַֽ⁠מַּעֲנֵ֑⁠הוּ

all & for,its_of,purpose

Solomon is using the adjective all as a noun to mean everything that exists. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: “all things for their own purposes”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לַֽ⁠מַּעֲנֵ֑⁠הוּ & רָעָֽה

for,its_of,purpose & trouble

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of purpose and evil, you could express the same ideas in other ways. See how you translated evil in [1:16](../01/16.md). Alternate translation: “for what they will accomplish … what is evil”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠גַם־רָ֝שָׁ֗ע

and=also wicked

Solomon is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “and Yahweh has even made a wicked one”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

רָ֝שָׁ֗ע

wicked

See how you translated this phrase in [9:7](../09/07.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

לְ⁠י֣וֹם רָעָֽה

for,a_day_of trouble

Here, the day of evil could refer to a time when wicked people experience disaster. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “for the time of disaster”

Parallel PROV 16:4

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

16:4

16:4a

16:4b