PROV 17:4 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=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 Κακὸς ὑπακούει γλώσσης παρανόμων, δίκαιος δὲ οὐ προσέχει χείλεσι ψευδέσιν.
(Kakos hupakouei glōssaʸs paranomōn, dikaios de ou proseⱪei ⱪeilesi pseudesin. )

BrTr A bad man hearkens to the tongue of transgressors: but a righteous man attends not to false lips.

ULT The evildoer listens attentively to the lips of iniquity;
⇔ a liar gives ear to a tongue of destruction.

UST People who act wickedly listen carefully when people speak what is sinful;
⇔ people who lie pay attention when people say things that destroy others.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE An evildoer heeds wicked lips.
⇔ A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel;
⇔ a liar listens to a malicious tongue.

LSV An evildoer is attentive to lips of vanity,
Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

FBV Evil people listen to spiteful talk, and liars pay attention to malicious words.

T4T ⇔ Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil,
⇔ and liars pay attention to other people’s lies.

LEB • He who does evil listens to lips of wickedness, and the liar gives heed to the tongue of mischief.

BBE A wrongdoer gives attention to evil lips, and a man of deceit gives ear to a damaging tongue.

Moff Only a base man listens to malicious words;
⇔ only the false attend to mischievous talk.

JPS A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

ASV An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips;
⇔ And a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

DRA The evil man obeyeth an unjust tongue: and the deceitful hearkeneth to lying lips.

YLT An evil doer is attentive to lips of vanity, Falsehood is giving ear to a mischievous tongue.

Drby The evil-doer giveth heed to iniquitous lips; the liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.

RV An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
(An evil-doer giveth/gives heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth/gives ear to a mischievous tongue. )

SLT He doing evil attends upon, lips of vanity; he lying feeds upon a tongue of mischief.

Wbstr A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips: and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

KJB-1769 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
(A wicked doer giveth/gives heed to false lips; and a liar giveth/gives ear to a naught/nothingy tongue. )

KJB-1611 A wicked doer giueth heed to false lips: and a liar giueth eare to a naughtie tongue.
(A wicked doer giveth/gives heed to false lips: and a liar giveth/gives ear to a naught/nothingie tongue.)

Bshps A wicked body geueth heede to false lippes, and a lyer geueth eare to a deceiptfull tongue.
(A wicked body giveth/gives heed to false lips, and a liar giveth/gives ear to a deceitful tongue.)

Gnva The wicked giueth heed to false lippes, and a lyer hearkeneth to the naughtie tongue.
(The wicked giveth/gives heed to false lips, and a liar hearkeneth/hearkens to the naught/nothingie tongue. )

Cvdl A wicked body holdeth moch of false lippes, & a dyssemblynge persone geueth eare to a disceatfull toge.
(A wicked body holdeth/holds much of false lips, and a dyssembling persone giveth/gives ear to a deceitful tongue.)

Wycl An yuel man obeieth to a wickid tunge; and a fals man obeieth to false lippis.
(An evil man obeieth to a wicked tongue; and a false man obeieth to false lips.)

Luth Ein Böser achtet auf böse Mäuler, und ein Falscher gehorcht gerne schädlichen Zungen.
(A Evil_(one) pay_attention on/in/to evil mouths, and a Falscher obeys gladly/willingly harmful tongues.)

ClVg Malus obedit linguæ iniquæ, et fallax obtemperat labiis mendacibus.
(Malus obedit tongues/languages iniwhich, and fallax obtemperat lips mendacibus. )

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

17:4

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^4a A wicked man listens to evil lips;

^4b a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

The second line specifies what the first line means. “A liar” (17:4b) specifies a particular kind of “wicked man” (17:4a), and “destructive” (17:4b) further defines the meaning of “evil” in 17:4a.

17:4a–b

(combined/reordered)

People who do what is wrong and tell lies pay close attention when someone tells lies that will harm another person.

evil lips…a destructive tongue: As in other proverbs, lips and tongue are figures of speech that represent the words that a person says. The phrase that the BSB translates as a destructive tongue refers to malicious or cruel words. These words are intended to cause harm to others. They are associated with lies, so they are equivalent to slander or malicious gossip.

Some other ways to translate these figures of speech are:

evil words…cruel words (NCV)

gossip…slander (NLT)

General Comment on 17:4a–b

The parallel lines function together to describe one kind of person. They refer to a wicked person who tells lies. In some languages, it may be necessary to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts to make this meaning clear. For example:

Wicked liars listen eagerly to gossip and slander.

See also 17:4a–b (combined/reordered).

17:4a

A wicked man listens to evil lips;

People who are wicked like to listen to evil words.

17:4b

a liar gives ear to a destructive tongue.

Indeed, someone who tells lies listens eagerly to slander.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֵ֭רַע & שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן שֶׁ֥קֶר & לְשׁ֥וֹן הַוֺּֽת

evildoer & language_of wicked liar & tongue_of destructive

The evildoer, the lips of iniquity, a liar, and a tongue of destruction represent types of people and things in general, not specific people or things. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any evildoer … any lips of iniquity; any liar … any tongues of destruction”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

שְׂפַת־אָ֑וֶן

language_of wicked

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe lips that are characterized by iniquity. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “iniquitous lips”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שְׂפַת

language_of

See how you translated the same use of lips in [16:13](../16/13.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

מֵ֝זִין

pays_attention

The phrase give ear refers to listening carefully to what someone is saying as if the listener were giving his ear to the person speaking. If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a similar expression from your language or express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “listen carefully”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

לְשׁ֥וֹן הַוֺּֽת

tongue_of destructive

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a tongue that is characterized by destruction. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “a destructive tongue”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לְשׁ֥וֹן

tongue_of