PROV 1:17 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.)

OET (OET-RV) Surely it would be a waste of time
⇔ to spread out a net while the bird is watching,

1:17 OSHB note: We agree with both BHS 1997 and BHQ on an unexpected reading.

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 Οὐ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς.
(Ou gar adikōs ekteinetai diktua pterōtois. )

UST It is useless for a hunter to put out a net to trap a bird
⇔ while the bird is watching because the bird will avoid the net.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Surely it is futile to spread a net
⇔ in plain sight of any bird,

LSV Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

FBV There's no point in trying to lure birds into a net when they can see it.

T4T It is useless to put out a ◄trap/net to catch a bird► because when a bird sees it,
⇔ it stays away from it.

LEB • for “in vain[fn] is the net scattered, in the sight of any winged bird .”[fn]

1:? Or “without cause,” or “for nothing”

1:? Literally “bird of wing”

BBE Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:

Moff It is in vain that birds behold
⇔ the net spread for them;

JPS For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird;

ASV For in vain is the net spread
⇔ In the sight of any bird:

DRA But a net is spread in vain before the eyes of them that have wings.

YLT Surely in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of any bird.

Drby For in vain the net is spread in the sight of anything which hath wings.

RV For in vain is the net spread, in the eyes of any bird:

SLT For gratuitously the net was spread in the eyes of all possessing a wing.

Wbstr Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

KJB-1769 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.[fn]

1.17 in the…: Heb. in the eyes of every thing that hath a wing

KJB-1611 Surely in vaine the net is spread [fn]in the sight of any bird.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above apart from footnotes)

1:17 Hebr. in the eyes of euery thing that hath a wing.

Bshps But as in vayne, the nette is layde foorth before the birdes eyes:
(But as in vain, the net is laid forth before the birds eyes:)

Gnva Certainely as without cause the net is spred before the eyes of all that hath wing:
(Certainly as without cause the net is spread before the eyes of all that hath/has wing: )

Cvdl But in vayne is ye net layed forth before the byrdes eyes.
(But in vain is ye/you_all net laid forth before the birds eyes.)

Wycl But a net is leid in veyn bifore the iyen of briddis, that han wengis.
(But a net is leid in vain before the eyes of birds, that have wings.)

Luth Denn es ist vergeblich, das Netz auswerfen vor den Augen der Vögel.
(Because it is vain, the net eject before/in_front_of the eyes the/of_the birds.)

ClVg Frustra autem jacitur rete ante oculos pennatorum.[fn]
(In_vain however yacitur rete before the_eyes pennatorum. )

1.17 Frustra. RAB. Cætera de insidiatoribus Christi specialiter, etc., usque ad in pauperibus enim nihil habet causæ.

1.17 In_vain. RAB. Cætera from/about insidiatoribus of_Christ specially, etc., until to in/into/on to_the_poor because nothing has causes.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:8–19: First lesson: Avoid evil companions

This first lesson may be summarized as follows:

Introduction: Pay attention to your parents’ advice, because it will improve your character (1:8–9).
Lesson: If robbers try to persuade you to do evil (1:10–14), refuse to join them (1:15), because they will destroy their own lives (1:16–18).
Conclusion: People who are greedy and try to obtain wealth illegally will die (1:19).This outline is based on “The Design of Lecture 1” in Fox (page 92).

Some other headings for this section are:

Warnings against Bad Friends (CEV)

Advice to a young man to not be tempted by evil people

Paragraph 1:15–19

In this paragraph, the father repeats his advice to the son to reject the sinners’ invitation (1:15). He then gives two reasons: (a) Criminals lead evil lives (1:16). (b) They are so foolish they will end up destroying themselves (1:17–18). The paragraph ends with a summary statement (1:19).

1:17

How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!

Another reason you^(sing) should not associate with them is that they will destroy themselves. We^(incl) cannot catch birds if we spread a net to catch them when they are watching.
It is useless for a bird hunter to set a snare when the birds are watching, because they will not get caught.

This verse introduces the second reason why the young man should not follow the lifestyle of criminals. It is because criminals are foolish and do things that result in their own destruction.There is no consensus among scholars on the connections and implications of 1:17–18. These notes have followed the overall flow of thought outlined by Fox (page 88), who says that 1:17–18 motivate the exhortation to refuse the robbers’ offer. Waltke (page 195) also says, “Not only is the way of sinners wrong, it is stupid…” This statement seems to indicate two reasons to refuse the sinners’ offer.

In Hebrew, this verse begins with the same word that the BSB translated as “For” in 1:16. The RSV and NJB translate this word here with “for.” But many other versions (including the BSB and NIV) omit a connecting word like “for,” because it would wrongly imply that 1:17 gives the reason why sinners are “swift to shed blood” (1:16).This is an oversimplification of the translation challenges involved here. Waltke (page 195), understands the ki to indicate emphasis (NIV, NASB, NET), but that emphasis does not provide a good connection with the overall flow of thought, and especially not to 1:16, so I have chosen not to complicate the notes with those details. The right connection is with 1:15. You may be able to leave the right connection implied, as these versions have done. If the connection is not clear, you may need to make it explicit. For example:

Another reason you should not associate with them is that they will destroy themselves. It is useless to set a snare…

How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!: There are two main ways to interpret this verse:The first interpretation is supported by Delitzsch (page 65), Scott (page 39), Fox (page 7), Waltke (page 195), and Hubbard (page 53). The second interpretation is supported by Garrett (page 70), Whybray (page 41), McKane (page 271), and Toy (page 17). Cook (page 16), also supports interpretation (1), but with a different sense. “Clear as the warning is, it is in vain. The birds still fly in.” A difficulty with this interpretation is that no hunter spreads a net in order to warn the birds.

The verse means that if the birds are watching, it is useless to spread a net/trap for them, because the birds would avoid it. For example:
When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away. (NLT96) (BSB, NLT96, GNT, NIV, RSV, NJB, REB, NCV) With this interpretation, the criminals in 1:18 are contrasted with the birds. The birds avoid the traps, but the criminals get caught in their own traps. It is implied that they have even less sense than birds.
The verse means that the birds are stupid. Even if they see someone spreading a net or setting a trap, they will still enter it to get the bait. For example:
They are like a bird that sees the bait but ignores the trap. (CEV) (CEV) With this interpretation, the criminals in 1:18 are likened to the birds. Both the criminals and the birds get caught in traps. It is implied that they are just as stupid as birds.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions.

spread the net: Scholars have different opinions on what it means to spread the net. Some think that this phrase refers to a bird hunter spreading out a net with grain on it as bait. Others think that it refers to a hunter throwing a net over a bird’s head when it is not watching. You may follow either idea in your translation. If nets are not used in your culture for catching birds, you may use a similar item such as “snare” or “trap” (see the NLT96 quote earlier in this note).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

מְזֹרָ֣ה הָ⁠רָ֑שֶׁת

spread the,net

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “does someone spread out a net”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

מְזֹרָ֣ה הָ⁠רָ֑שֶׁת

spread the,net

A net is a trap made of woven rope or string that hunters use to catch animals. If your readers would not be familiar with this type of trap, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: “is the trap set up”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְּ֝⁠עֵינֵ֗י

in/on=both_eyes_of

Here, eyes refers to what is seen with the eyes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “in view of” or “in the sight of”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בַּ֥עַל כָּנָֽף

bird_of wing/corner/skirt

The phrase owner of wing refers to a bird. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly, as in the UST.

Parallel PROV 1:17

Section 1:8–19: First lesson: Avoid evil companions

Paragraph 1:15–19

1:17