PROV 17:23 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.
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 Λαμβάνοντος δῶρα ἀδίκως ἐν κόλποις οὐ κατευοδοῦνται ὁδοὶ, ἀσεβὴς δὲ ἐκκλίνει ὁδοὺς δικαιοσύνης.
(Lambanontos dōra adikōs en kolpois ou kateuodountai hodoi, asebaʸs de ekklinei hodous dikaiosunaʸs. )

BrTr The ways of a man who unjustly receives gifts in his bosom do not prosper; and an ungodly man perverts the ways of righteousness.

ULT A wicked one takes a bribe from the bosom
⇔ to bend the paths of justice.

UST Wicked people accept bribes that people give to them secretly,
⇔ so that they will decide matters unfairly.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE A wicked man receives a bribe in secret,
⇔ to pervert the ways of justice.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET A wicked person receives a bribe secretly
⇔ to pervert the ways of justice.

LSV The wicked takes a bribe from the bosom,
To turn aside the paths of judgment.

FBV The wicked take hidden bribes to pervert the course of justice.

T4T ⇔ Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly,
⇔ and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.

LEB • The wicked will accept a bribe from the lap, in order to pervert the ways of justice.

BBE A sinner takes an offering out of his robe, to get a decision for himself in a cause.

Moff Bad men accept a secret bribe,
⇔ to twist the course of justice.

JPS A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice.

ASV A wicked man receiveth a bribe out of the bosom,
⇔ To pervert the ways of justice.

DRA The wicked man taketh gifts out of the bosom, that he may pervert the paths of judgment.

YLT A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

Drby A wicked [man] taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the paths of judgment.

RV A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of judgment.
(A wicked man taketh/takes a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of judgement. )

SLT The unjust one will take a gift from the bosom to turn, aside the paths of judgment.

Wbstr A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

KJB-1769 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
(A wicked man taketh/takes a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgement. )

KJB-1611 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome, to peruert the wayes of iudgement.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps The vngodly taketh gyftes out of the bosome, to wrest the wayes of iudgement.
(The ungodly taketh/takes gifts out of the bosom, to wrest the ways of judgement.)

Gnva A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosome to wrest the wayes of iudgement.
(A wicked man taketh/takes a gift out of the bosom to wrest the ways of judgement. )

Cvdl The vngodly taketh giftes out of the bosome, to wraist the wayes of iudgment.
(The ungodly taketh/takes gifts out of the bosom, to wraist the ways of judgement.)

Wycl A wickid man takith yiftis fro the bosum, to mys turne the pathis of doom.
(A wicked man taketh/takes gifts from the bosom, to mys turn the paths of judgement.)

Luth Der GOttlose nimmt heimlich gern Geschenke, zu beugen den Weg des Rechts.
(The godless_(ones) takes secretly gladly/willingly gifts, to/for bend/submit the way/path/road the law/rights.)

ClVg Munera de sinu impius accipit, ut pervertat semitas judicii.
(Munera from/about pocket impious/ungodly receives, as pervertat path judgement. )

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

17:23

This verse is a single sentence in Hebrew. There are no parallel parts.

17:23a

A wicked man takes a covert bribe

A wicked/corrupt judge accepts a bribe that someone gives him secretly
When the wicked accept money to do wrong

A wicked man takes a covert bribe: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “a gift from the bosom a wicked (person) takes.” In this context, it indicates that a wicked judge or other official accepts a bribe that someone takes from a hidden fold or pocket in the front of his robe.In Hebrew, this clause is ambiguous. The “wicked man” could refer to the person who takes money from his robe in order to give it as a bribe or to the official who receives the money. Almost all English versions take it in the second sense. Either way, the point of the proverb is the same. It is equally wicked to receive a bribe as it is to give it. See Fox (page 635) or Whybray (pages 261–262). Some other ways to translate this clause are:

The wicked accept a concealed bribe (NRSV)

Corrupt judges accept secret bribes (GNT)

17:23b

to subvert the course of justice.

in order that he will not judge honestly/fairly.
there can be no justice. (NCV)

to subvert the course of justice: This phrase indicates the purpose of the bribe. The purpose is to “push aside”NIDOTTE (H5742) lists this verse as one of references where the form of the verb “is used of subverting/perverting/thrusting aside justice.” the course of justice so that an official will make an unjust decision. Another way to express the meaning of this phrase is:

to keep justice from being done (CEV)

In some languages, it may be more natural to indicate the result of the bribe. The result is that people will not be treated fairly. For example:

and then justice is not done (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שֹׁ֣חַד מֵ֭⁠חֵיק רָשָׁ֣ע יִקָּ֑ח

bribe from_[the],bosom_of wicked accept

A wicked one, a bribe, and the bosom 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: “Any wicked person takes any bribe from any bosom”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מֵ֭⁠חֵיק

from_[the],bosom_of

Here, from the bosom indicates that a bribe is given to someone secretly, as if it were hidden in a person’s clothes near that person’s bosom. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “in secret”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

לְ֝⁠הַטּ֗וֹת אָרְח֥וֹת מִשְׁפָּֽט

to,turn_aside ways_of justice

Here Solomon refers to causing judges to make an unjust verdict as if the legal process had paths that a person could bend. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “to prevent justice from being rendered” or “to prevent judges from giving just verdicts”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

מִשְׁפָּֽט

justice

See how you translated the abstract noun justice in [1:3](../01/03.md).

Parallel PROV 17:23

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

17:23

17:23a

17:23b