PROV 20:5 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 Ὕδωρ βαθὺ βουλὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ ἀνδρὸς, ἀνὴρ δὲ φρόνιμος ἐξαντλήσει αὐτήν.
(Hudōr bathu boulaʸ en kardia andros, anaʸr de fronimos exantlaʸsei autaʸn. )

BrTr Counsel in a man's heart is deep water; but a prudent man will draw it out.

ULT Counsel in the heart of a man is deep waters,
⇔ but a man of understanding will draw it out.

UST Knowing what people are thinking and planning is as difficult as drawing water out of a deep well,
⇔ but discerning people are able to do so.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
⇔ but a man of understanding will draw it out.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Counsel in a person’s heart is like deep water,
⇔ but an understanding person draws it out.

LSV Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water,
And a man of understanding draws it up.

FBV Discovering what someone is planning in their mind is like looking at deep water, but a person who has understanding will find out.

T4T ⇔ Just as it is difficult to bring up water from a deep well, it is difficult to know what people are thinking,
⇔ but someone who has good sense/insight will be able to find out what people are thinking.

LEB • Deep waters are like purpose in the heart[fn] of a man, and a man of understanding will draw it[fn] out.

20:? Or “mind”

20:? Or “her”; referring to “purpose”

BBE The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.

Moff A man’s mind may lie deep as water in a well
⇔ but a clever man will draw it from him.

JPS Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

ASV Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water;
⇔ But a man of understanding will draw it out.

DRA Counsel in the heart of a man is like deep water: but a wise man will draw it out.

YLT Counsel in the heart of a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draweth it up.

Drby Counsel in the heart of man is deep water, and a man of understanding draweth it out.

RV Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

SLT Deep waters are counsel in the heart of man; and a man of understanding will draw it out.

Wbstr Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

KJB-1769 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

KJB-1611 Counsell in the heart of man is like deepe water: but a man of vnderstanding will draw it out.
(Counsell in the heart of man is like deep water: but a man of understanding will draw it out.)

Bshps Counsayle in the heart of man is like deepe water: but a man of vnderstanding wyll drawe it out.
(Counsayle in the heart of man is like deep water: but a man of understanding will draw it out.)

Gnva The counsell in the heart of man is like deepe waters: but a man that hath vnderstanding, will drawe it out.
(The council/counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters: but a man that hath/has understanding, will draw it out. )

Cvdl Wyse councell in the herte of man is like a water in the depe of the earth, but he that hath vnderstondinge, bryngeth it forth.
(Wyse council/counsel in the heart of man is like a water in the deep of the earth, but he that hath/has understanding, bringeth/brings it forth.)

Wycl As deep watir, so counsel is in the herte of a man; but a wijs man schal drawe it out.
(As deep water, so council/counsel is in the heart of a man; but a wise man shall draw it out.)

Luth Der Rat im Herzen eines Mannes ist wie tiefe Wasser; aber ein Verständiger kann‘s merken, was er meinet.
(The advice in_the heart(s) one/a man's is as/like depth water; but a Verständiger can remember/realise, what/which he meant.)

ClVg Sicut aqua profunda, sic consilium in corde viri; sed homo sapiens exhauriet illud.
(Like water deep, so advice in/into/on heart men; but human wise exhauriet it/this/that. )

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

20:5

Notice the contrasting parallelism:

^5aThe intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters,

^5bbut a man of understanding draws them out.

The overall meaning is that it is difficult to know a person’s intentions. But a person who has good sense is able to discover what they are.The NJB does not have contrasting parallelism here. It says: “The resources of the human heart are like deep waters: an understanding person has only to draw on them.” With this interpretation, “deep waters” imply an abundant supply of good advice that is readily available. Fox (page 664) supports this interpretation. However, most versions and scholars support the view that the Notes have followed.

20:5a

The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters,

The intentions/thoughts of a person are like water in a deep well,
The plans in a person’s mind are like water that is deep under the ground. It is hard to reach.

The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters: This clause is a metaphor. It compares a person’s intentions or plans to the water in a deep well. Some similarities are:

A person’s thoughts and plans are not visible. They are located inside his mind or heart. The water in a deep well is also located far below the surface of the ground.
It is hard to discover what a person is really thinking. It is also hard to reach the water in a deep well.

Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
The intention in the human heart is like water far below the surface (NAB)
A person’s thoughts are like water in a deep well (GNT)
Change the metaphor to a simile and make the similarity explicit. For example:
The plans in a person’s mind are like water that is deep under the ground. It is hard to reach.

intentions of a man’s heart: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “advice/counsel in the heart of a man.” In this context, it probably refers to the “advice” that a person gives to himself. In other words, it refers to his plans, motives, or intentions.English versions that use the words “advice” or “counsel” include the NET, NLT, and REB. This is the most common use of the word in Proverbs. One reason for not following this normal usage is that in other verses people are urged to listen to advice, and advice is described as something that people accept or reject. It is not described as something that is hard to obtain. See advice in the Glossary.

a man’s heart: As in other verses, the Hebrew word for heart refers primarily to the mind or intellect (see the note on 4:4a). In some languages, it may be redundant to specify that a person’s plans or thoughts are “in his mind/heart.” If that is true in your language, you may leave this phrase implied, as in the GNT (quoted above).

deep waters: By itself, the phrase deep waters could refer to any water that is deep. However, the parallel phrase “draws them out” is normally used of pulling water up out of a well.NIDOTTE (H1926). So in this context, deep waters probably refers specifically to the water in a deep well.

20:5b

but a man of understanding draws them out.

but a skillful/intelligent person is able to discover them.
But someone who has ability to converse with others can learn those plans so that he can make them known.

but a man of understanding draws them out: The verb draws…out continues the metaphor of “deep waters.” Water in a deep well is not easy to get at. It requires effort to pull it up in a bucket. Similarly, it requires a man of understanding to “draw out” the thoughts of another person through careful questioning and conversation.

a man of understanding: The word understanding refers here to a person’s ability to discover another person’s plans or intentions. See understanding (good sense) in the Glossary.

Another way to translate 20:5b is:

but if you are smart, you will discover them (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

עֵצָ֣ה

purposes

See how you translated the abstract noun Counsel in [1:25](../01/25.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

בְ⁠לֶב

in_[the],heart_of

See how you translated the same use of heart in [2:2](../02/02.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

אִ֑ישׁ וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ

(a)_man and,a_person_of

Although the term man is masculine, Solomon is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: “a person … and a person of”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַ֣יִם עֲ֭מֻקִּים & יִדְלֶֽ⁠נָּה

waters deep & he,draws_it_out

Here Solomon speaks of how difficult it is to discern a person’s Counsel as if it were waters that one must draw out from a well. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “is difficult to understand … is able to understand it” or “is difficult like deep waters … is able to draw it out”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ תְּבוּנָ֣ה

and,a_person_of understanding

See how you translated a man of understanding in [10:23](../10/23.md).

Parallel PROV 20:5

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

20:5

20:5a

20:5b