PROV 21:9 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) It’s better to live in the corner of the attic[fn]
⇔ than inside the main house with the company of an argumentative wife.

21:9 We made an adjustment here for most of our readers in houses with sloping roofs, as distinct from living in an arid climate and having a flat roof.

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 Κρεῖσσον οἰκεῖν ἐπὶ γωνίας ὑπαίθρου, ἢ ἐν κεκονιαμένοις μετὰ ἀδικίας καὶ ἐν οἴκῳ κοινῷ.
(Kreisson oikein epi gōnias hupaithrou, aʸ en kekoniamenois meta adikias kai en oikōi koinōi. )

BrTr It is better to dwell in a corner [fn]on the house-top, than in plastered rooms with unrighteousness, and in an open house.

ULT Better to dwell on the corner of a roof
⇔ than with a woman of quarrels and a house of companionship.

UST It is better to live alone in a corner of a housetop
⇔ than to live inside a house with a wife who always argues with you.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop
⇔ than to share a house with a contentious woman.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET It is better to live on a corner of the housetop
⇔ than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.

LSV Better to sit on a corner of the roof,
Than [with] a woman of contentions and a house of company.

FBV It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.

T4T ⇔ It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop by yourself
⇔ than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.

LEB • Better to dwell on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a woman[fn] of contention.

21:? Or “wife”

BBE It is better to be living in an angle of the house-top, than with a bitter-tongued woman in a wide house.

Moff Better a corner on the roof
⇔ than a room inside the mansion with a nagging wife.

JPS It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than in a house in common with a contentious woman.

ASV It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop,
⇔ Than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

DRA It is better to sit in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling women, and in a common house.

YLT Better to sit on a corner of the roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions and a house of company.

Drby It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman, and a house in common.

RV It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a contentious woman in a wide house.

SLT Good to dwell upon the corner of the roof rather than with a woman of strifes and a house of community.

Wbstr It is better to dwell in a corner of the house-top, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

KJB-1769 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.[fn][fn]

21.9 a brawling…: Heb. a woman of contentions

21.9 a wide…: Heb. an house of society

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top; then with a brawling woman in a wide house.

21:9 Heb. a woman of contentions.

21:9 Heb. an house of societie.

Bshps It is better to dwel in a corner on the house toppe, then with a brawling woman in a wide house.
(It is better to dwell in a corner on the house toppe, then with a brawling woman in a wide house.)

Gnva It is better to dwell in a corner of the house top, then with a contentious woman in a wide house.

Cvdl It is better to dwell in a corner vnder ye house toppe, then with a braulinge woman in a wyde house.
(It is better to dwell in a corner under ye/you_all house toppe, then with a braulinge woman in a wide house.)

Wycl It is betere to sitte in the corner of an hous with oute roof, than with a womman ful of chydyng, and in a comyn hous.
(It is better to sit in the corner of an house without roof, than with a woman full of chyding, and in a common house.)

Luth Es ist besser wohnen im Winkel auf dem Dach, denn bei einem zänkischen Weibe in einem Hause beisammen.
(It is better live/reside in_the corner on/in/to to_him roof, because/than at/in on quarrelsome woman in on house together.)

ClVg Melius est sedere in angulo domatis, quam cum muliere litigiosa, et in domo communi.
(Better it_is to_sit_down in/into/on angulo domatis, how when/with woman litigiosa, and in/into/on at_home common. )

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

21:9

This is a “better than” proverb with an apparently bad situation in the first line. This situation is better than a worse situation in the second line.

^9aBetter to live on a corner of the roof

^9bthan share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

In this proverb, the reader has to figure out why it is better “to live on a corner of a roof.” He can determine this from the implied contrast with “a quarrelsome wife.” The implied information is:

^9aIt is better to live alone in a small space on a corner of a roof and yet have peace and quiet

^9bthan to share a comfortable house with a quarrelsome wife.

In most languages, it will not be necessary to make all the implied contrasts explicit.

Other proverbs with this pattern are 21:19 and 25:24. Compare this proverb with four-part “better than” proverbs such as 12:9. Those proverbs have an explicit contrast in each line.

21:9a

Better to live on a corner of the roof

For a person to live outside his house on a corner of the roof is better
It is better to live alone in an uncomfortable place outside the house

Better to live on a corner of the roof: This phrase refers to living for an extended period of time outside one’s own house, on a corner of the flat roof. In Palestine, it was common for people to sleep on the roof during certain seasons of the year. Some people also built small guest rooms or storage sheds on their rooftops.Toy (page 401), Hubbard (page 428).

We do not know whether this phrase refers to a small room of this sort or to living on the bare roof. The point is that the man’s living situation is lonely and uncomfortable.Ross (page 1052), Longman (page 392). But it is better than the situation in the second line. When he is outside on the roof, at least he has peace and quiet.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

Keep the cultural context of a flat roof. For example:
It’s better to stay outside on the roof of your house (CEV)
If the idea of staying on a roof makes the proverb difficult to understand, substitute a similar living situation. For example:
It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic (NLT)

For either of these options, consider adding a footnote if it will help your readers understand the cultural context. For example:

What it says in Hebrew is: on the corner of the roof. In the country of the Israelites, houses had flat roofs. Sometimes people built a small room there.

21:9b

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

than to live inside the house with a wife who always quarrels with him.
than to live with a nagging wife in a nice house.

than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife: In contrast to “a corner of the roof,” it is normally more comfortable to live inside a house. But when a man has to live with a wife who constantly nags and quarrels, the living situation is actually worse. Some other ways to translate this line are:

than to live inside with a nagging wife (CEV)

than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home (NLT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

פִּנַּת־גָּ֑ג

corner_of roof

Houses in Solomon’s time had flat roofs on which people could walk. Sometimes residents would build a shelter on a corner of the roof, providing an additional place in which a person could sleep. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could include this information in a note. Alternate translation: “the corner of a flat roof”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

מֵ⁠אֵ֥שֶׁת מִ֝דְיָנִ֗ים

more,than_a_woman_of contentious

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a woman who is characterized by quarrels. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “than with a quarrelsome wife”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וּ⁠בֵ֥ית חָֽבֶר

and,a_house_of share

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a house in which people live together. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “and live together in one house”

Parallel PROV 21:9

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

21:9

21:9a

21:9b