PROV 17:14 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.)

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 Ἐξουσίαν δίδωσι λόγοις ἀρχὴ δικαιοσύνης, προηγεῖται δὲ τῆς ἐνδείας στάσις καὶ μάχη.
(Exousian didōsi logois arⱪaʸ dikaiosunaʸs, proaʸgeitai de taʸs endeias stasis kai maⱪaʸ. )

BrTr Rightful rule gives power to words; but sedition and strife precede poverty.

ULT The beginning of a quarrel is the releasing of water,
⇔ so leave the dispute before it breaks out.

UST When people start arguing with each other, it is as difficult to stop as it is to stop water that is leaking out of a dam,
⇔ so prevent yourself from arguing before you start to argue.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam,
⇔ therefore stop contention before quarrelling breaks out.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Starting a quarrel is like letting out water;
⇔ stop it before strife breaks out!

LSV The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters,
And leave the strife before it is meddled with.

FBV The beginning of a quarrel is like the first leak in a water dam, so drop it before a major argument bursts out.

T4T ⇔ Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam;
⇔ they both need to be stopped before they get worse.

LEB • Like the release of water is the beginning of strife; before it breaks out, stop the quarrel.

BBE The start of fighting is like the letting out of water: so give up before it comes to blows.

Moff Strife starts with idle words:
⇔ cease arguing or you will quarrel.

JPS The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.

ASV The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:
⇔ Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.

DRA The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.

YLT The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

Drby The beginning of contention is [as] when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.

RV The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before there be quarrelling.

SLT The causing water to break forth is the beginning of strife: cast off contention before being irritated.

Wbstr The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore withdraw from contention, before it be meddled with.

KJB-1769 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

KJB-1611 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therfore leaue off contention, before it be medled with.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The beginning of strife is, as when a man maketh an issue for water: therfore leaue of before the contention be medled with.
(The beginning of strife is, as when a man maketh/makes an issue for water: therefore leave of before the contention be meddled with.)

Gnva The beginning of strife is as one that openeth the waters: therefore or the contention be medled with, leaue off.
(The beginning of strife is as one that openeth/opens the waters: therefore or the contention be meddled with, leave off. )

Cvdl He yt soweth discorde & strife, is like one yt dyggeth vp a water broke: but an open enemie is like the water yt breaketh out & reneth abrode.
(He it soweth/sows discorde and strife, is like one it diggeth/digs up a water broke: but an open enemy is like the water it breaketh/breaks out and reneth abroad.)

Wycl He that leeueth watir, is heed of stryues; and bifor that he suffrith wrong, he forsakith dom.
(He that leaveth/leaves water, is heed of strives; and before that he suffereth/suffers wrong, he forsaketh/forsakes dom.)

Luth Wer Hader anfähet, ist gleich, als der dem Wasser den Damm aufreißt. Laß du vom Hader, ehe du drein gemenget wirst.
(Who Hader begins, is even, as the/of_the to_him water the Damm on/in/toreißt. Let you(sg) from_the Hader, before you(sg) three mixed will.)

ClVg Qui dimittit aquam caput est jurgiorum, et antequam patiatur contumeliam judicium deserit.]
(Who dismisses water the_head it_is yurgiorum, and before suffer insult judgement abandons.] )

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

17:14

The second line is a warning to avoid the bad consequences of “starting a quarrel” in the first line.

^14aTo start a quarrel is to release a flood;

^14bso abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

17:14a

To start a quarrel is to release a flood;

The beginning of an argument is like a dam that begins to break.
A person who starts a quarrel is like a person that makes a hole/leak in a dam/dike.

To start a quarrel is to release a flood: In Hebrew, this line is a metaphor, as in the BSB. The Hebrew is literally “Releasing water—the start of a quarrel.”Fox (page 631). In this metaphor, To start a quarrel is compared to releasing water. It is implied that:

This water is restrained by a dam or dike.
Someone releases the water by making an opening. The opening will quickly grow larger if the water continues to flow.McKane (page 505), Ross (page 1018), Garrett (page 161), and Waltke (page 54) all understand an opening that may grow larger or break open. It is possible that the metaphor describes a sluice or floodgate in a dam. If someone opens a floodgate, a large quantity of water quickly begins to flow.

Almost all English versions translate this metaphor as a simile. For example:

The beginning of strife is like letting out water (ESV)

Starting a quarrel is like a leak in a dam (NCV)

The start of an argument is like the first break in a dam (GNT)

17:14b

so abandon the dispute before it breaks out.

So if you^(sing) have a disagreement, stop it before it erupts into a fight.
You must abandon/stop the quarrel immediately before it becomes worse.

so abandon the dispute before it breaks out: A leak in a dam will quickly get worse if it is not repaired. Similarly, “a quarrel” (17:14a) will soon lead to something more serious if it is not stopped at once.

abandon: In Hebrew, this word often means “forsake” (see 1:8). Here it probably means to stop or to desist from a quarrel.

dispute: In Hebrew, this word sometimes refers to a legal dispute or court case.This sense of the word is supported by McKane (page 505), Ross (page 1018), and Garrett (page 161). Other scholars are less specific. No English versions refer specifically to a court case. Here, it is recommended that you not limit the word to a court context. It probably refers to any situation in which a quarrel intensifies or gets out of control. For example:

so stop it before a fight breaks out (NCV)

so stop before the argument gets out of control (GW)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מָד֑וֹן & הָ⁠רִ֥יב

strife & the,dispute

See how you translated the abstract nouns quarrel and dispute in [15:18](../15/18.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

פּ֣וֹטֵֽר מַ֭יִם

letting_out_of waters

Here Solomon speaks of the difficulty in stopping a quarrel after it starts as if the the beginning of a quarrel were water that began to leak from a container or dam. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “is difficult to stop” or “is as difficult to stop as water leaking from a container”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הָ⁠רִ֥יב נְטֽוֹשׁ

the,dispute stop

Here Solomon refers to stopping a dispute before it begins as if the dispute were a place that someone could leave. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “avoid the dispute” or “end the dispute”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗ע

breaks_out

Here Solomon refers to a quarrel starting as if it were water that suddenly breaks out of a container or dam. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “suddenly begins”

Parallel PROV 17:14

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

17:14

17:14a

17:14b