PROV 17:16 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.)

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
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 Ἱνατί ὑπῆρξε χρήματα ἄφρονι; κτήσασθαι γὰρ σοφίαν ἀκάρδιος οὐ δυνήσεται·
(Hinati hupaʸrxe ⱪraʸmata afroni; ktaʸsasthai gar sofian akardios ou dunaʸsetai; )

BrTr Why has the fool wealth? for a senseless man will not be able to purchase wisdom.

ULT Why is this: A payment is in the hand of a stupid one
⇔ to acquire wisdom, but there is no heart?

UST How useless it is for foolish people to try to pay money in order to become wise
⇔ when they are unable to think!

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
⇔ since he has no understanding?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Of what use is money in the hand of a fool,
⇔ since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?

LSV Why [is] this—a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
And a heart—there is none?

FBV Is there any point in stupid people trying to buy wisdom when they don't want to learn?

T4T ⇔ It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it,
⇔ because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.

LEB • Why is this? A price in the hand of a fool, in order to buy wisdom where[fn] there is no sense .[fn]

17:? Hebrew “and”

17:? Literally “heart”

BBE How will money in the hand of the foolish get him wisdom, seeing that he has no sense?

Moff Why does a fool offer the sage a fee,
⇔ when he has no mind to learn?

JPS Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?

ASV Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
⇔ Seeing he hath no understanding?

DRA What doth it avail a fool to have riches, seeing he cannot buy wisdom? He that maketh his house high, seeketh a downfall: and he that refuseth to learn, shall fall into evils.

YLT Why [is] this — a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, And a heart there is none?

Drby To what purpose is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he] hath no sense?

RV Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?
(Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath/has no understanding? )

SLT Wherefore this a price in the hand of the foolish one to obtain wisdom, and no heart?

Wbstr Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it ?

KJB-1769 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
(Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath/has no heart to it? )

KJB-1611 Wherfore is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome, seeing he hath no heart to it?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Whereto hath a foole treasure in his hande to bye wisdome, seeing he hath no minde therto?
(Whereto hath/has a fool treasure in his hand to buy wisdom, seeing he hath/has no mind thereto?)

Gnva Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the foole to get wisdome, and he hath none heart?
(Wherefore is there a price in the hand of the fool to get wisdom, and he hath/has none heart? )

Cvdl What helpeth it to geue a foole money in his hode, where as he hath no mynde to bye wy?dome?
(What helpeth/helps it to give a fool money in his hand, where as he hath/has no mind to buy wisdom?)

Wycl What profitith it to a fool to haue richessis, sithen he mai not bie wisdom? He that makith his hous hiy, sekith falling; and he that eschewith to lerne, schal falle in to yuels.
(What profiteth/profits it to a fool to have riches, since he may not buy wisdom? He that maketh/makes his house high, seeketh/seeks falling; and he that eschewith to lerne, shall fall in to evils.)

Luth Was soll dem Narren Geld in der Hand, Weisheit zu kaufen, so er doch ein Narr ist?
(What should to_him fool(n) money in the/of_the hand, wise_(people) to/for buy, so he though/but a fool(n) is?)

ClVg Quid prodest stulto habere divitias, cum sapientiam emere non possit? Qui altum facit domum suam quærit ruinam, et qui evitat discere incidet in mala.[fn]
(What benefit stupid to_have riches, when/with wisdom emere not/no can? Who high he_does house/home his_own seeks ruin, and who/which evitat discere will_fall in/into/on evil. )

17.16 Quid prodest. Quid prodest populo Judæorum infideli, etc., usque ad cum sapientiam piæ actionis habere neglexerit?

17.16 What benefit. What benefit to_the_people Yudahorum infideli, etc., until to when/with wisdom pious action to_have neglexerit?

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

17:16

^16aWhy should the fool have money in his hand

^16bwith no intention of buying wisdom?

This verse probably describes a situation in which someone foolishly thinks he can buy wisdom like any other product in the marketplace. It probably does not refer to paying tuition or other fees at a school.According to Waltke (page 56), Whybray (page 259), and Cohen (page 114), there is no evidence that students in Israel paid tuition or that wisdom teachers charged fees, at least not until the Middle Ages.

17:16a

Why should the fool have money in his hand

Why does a fool think that he can simply pay money to become wise?
It is useless for a fool to try to buy wisdom,

17:16a–b

Why should the fool have money in his hand with no intention of buying wisdom?: This verse is a sarcastic rhetorical question. Its function is to emphasize that a fool cannot use money to get wisdom. Even if he could buy it, it would do him no good, since he is not able or willing to learn. For example:

^16aWhy should fools have a price in hand to buy wisdom, ^16bwhen they have no mind to learn? (NRSV)

Some other ways to express the sarcastic emphasis of the rhetorical question are:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he doesn’t have a mind to grasp anything? (GW)
Use a statement. For example:
It won’t do a fool any good to try to buy wisdom, because he doesn’t have the ability to be wise. (NCV)

fool: See fool 2 in the Glossary.

17:16b

with no intention of buying wisdom?

After all, a fool is not even able to learn!
because he does not have the mental ability to become wise.

with no intention of buying wisdom: This clause indicates that even if wisdom could be bought, the fool’s money would not help him, because he does not have the mental ability or desire to become wise. Nor is he truly willing to acquire wisdom. See the NRSV, GW, and NCV (quoted in 17:16a) for other ways to express the meaning of this clause.

intention: The word that the BSB translates here as intention is literally “heart.” In Hebrew, the word “heart” includes the emotions, but it also refers to a person’s mental faculties. This includes the ability to think clearly and to make good decisions.

See the note on “heart” in 4:4a. Also see lacks judgment (literally, “lacks heart”) in the Glossary.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

לָ⁠מָּה־זֶּ֣ה מְחִ֣יר בְּ⁠יַד־כְּסִ֑יל לִ⁠קְנ֖וֹת חָכְמָ֣ה וְ⁠לֶב־אָֽיִן

to/for=what this price in_[the],hand_of fool to,acquire wisdom and,heart_of no

Solomon is using the question form to emphasize how nonsensical it is for a stupid person to try to buy wisdom. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: “It is ridiculous that a payment is in the hand of a stupid one to acquire wisdom but there is no heart!”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מְחִ֣יר בְּ⁠יַד־כְּסִ֑יל

price in_[the],hand_of fool

Here, a payment, the hand, and a stupid one represent these things and people in general, not specific things or people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a more natural expression. Alternate translation: “payments are in the hands of stupid people”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מְחִ֣יר בְּ⁠יַד־כְּסִ֑יל

price in_[the],hand_of fool

Here Solomon refers to a stupid one trying to buy wisdom as if he were holding in his hand the money with which to buy it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “A stupid one tries to pay money”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

חָכְמָ֣ה

wisdom

See how you translated the abstract noun wisdom in [1:2](../01/02.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠לֶב־אָֽיִן

and,heart_of no

Here Solomon uses heart to refer to a person’s ability to think. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the similar phrase “lacking of heart” in [6:32](../06/32.md). Alternate translation: “but he has no ability to think”

Parallel PROV 17:16

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

17:16

17:16a

17:16a–b

17:16b