PROV 22:29 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) You’ve seen a man who’s skilled at his work—
⇔ → he’ll take his position in front of kings.
⇔ ^ He won’t do his work just for anybody.
⇔ 

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 Ὁρατικὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ὀξὺν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ βασιλεῦσι δεῖ παρεστάναι, καὶ μὴ παρεστάναι ἀνδράσι νωθροῖς.
(Horatikon andra kai oxun en tois ergois autou basileusi dei parestanai, kai maʸ parestanai andrasi nōthrois. )

BrTr It is fit that an observant man and one diligent in his business should attend on kings, and not attend on slothful men.

ULT You see a skilled man in his work.
⇔ He will station himself before the face of kings;
⇔ he will not station himself before the face of obscure ones.

UST Consider this: People who work skillfully will serve kings
⇔ rather than serving unknown people.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE ⇔ Do you see a man skilled in his work?
⇔ He will serve kings.
⇔ He won’t serve obscure men.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Do you see a person skilled in his work?
⇔ He will take his position before kings;
⇔ he will not take his position before obscure people.

LSV Have you seen a man speedy in his business? He stations himself before kings,
He does not station himself before obscure men!

FBV If you see someone skilled in what they do, they'll work for kings and not for ordinary people.

T4T Know/Learn [RHQ] this about those who do their work very skillfully:
⇔ They will quit working for ordinary people
⇔ and will start working for kings
⇔ because the kings will want people like that to work for them.

LEB • A man who is skillful in his work, you shall see: before kings, he will serve;
• he will not serve before the commoners.

BBE Have you seen a man who is expert in his business? he will take his place before kings; his place will not be among low persons.

Moff You see a man skilful at his work?
⇔ He shall enter the service of kings,
⇔ not the service of obscure men.

JPS Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

ASV Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings;
⇔ He shall not stand before mean men.

DRA Hast thou seen a man swift in his work? he shall stand before kings, and shall not be before those that are obscure.

YLT Hast thou seen a man speedy in his business? Before kings he doth station himself, He stations not himself before obscure men!

Drby Hast thou seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before the mean.

RV Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
(Seest thou/you a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. )

SLT Sawest thou a man apt in his works? Before kings shall he stand; he shall not stand before the dark ones.

Wbstr Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men .

KJB-1769 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.[fn]
(Seest thou/you a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. )

22.29 mean…: Heb. obscure men

KJB-1611 [fn]Seest thou a man diligent in his businesse? hee shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before meane men.
(Seest thou/you a man diligent in his businesse? he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men.)

22:29 Heb. obscure men.

Bshps Seest thou not that they which be diligent in their businesse stande before kinges, & not among the simple people?
(Seest thou/you not that they which be diligent in their business stand before kings, and not among the simple people?)

Gnva Thou seest that a diligent man in his businesse standeth before Kings, and standeth not before the base sort.
(Thou/You seest/see that a diligent man in his business standeth/stands before Kings, and standeth/stands not before the base sort. )

Cvdl Seist thou not, yt they which be diligent in their busines stonde before kynges, and not amonge the symple people?
(Seist thou/you not, it they which be diligent in their business stand before kings, and not among the simple people?)

Wycl Thou hast seyn a man smert in his werk; he schal stonde bifore kyngis, and he schal not be bifor vnnoble men.
(Thou/You hast seen a man smert in his werk; he shall stand before kings, and he shall not be before unnoble men.)

Luth Siehest du einen Mann endelich in seinem Geschäfte, der wird vor den Königen stehen und wird nicht vor den Unedlen stehen.
(See you(sg) a man endelich in his shops(n), the/of_the becomes before/in_front_of the kings stand and becomes not before/in_front_of the Unedlen stand.)

ClVg Vidisti virum velocem in opere suo? coram regibus stabit, nec erit ante ignobiles.][fn]
(You_saw husband fast in/into/on by_work his_own? before kings will_stand, but_not will_be before ignobiles.] )

22.29 Vidisti virum velocem in opere suo? coram. Quemcunque velocem videris in opere suo, etc., usque ad quorum cavit errorem esse ponendum.

22.29 You_saw husband fast in/into/on by_work his_own? before. Whichcunque fast you_see in/into/on by_work his_own, etc., until to whose cavit error to_be ponendum.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 22:17–24:22: Here are thirty sayings of wise people

This section follows the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (10:1–22:16). It differs in significant ways from this preceding section:These differences were summarized from a number of commentaries, including UBS (page 472), Waltke (2004, page 22), and Hubbard (page 351).

The preceding section has mostly two-line proverbs that are one verse in length. This section has proverbs of a different form. They are sayings that range from one to seven verses. Most of the sayings are two or three verses in length. Each saying will be marked as a separate paragraph in the Notes.
Many of the proverbs in the preceding section express a general principle. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. Most of the sayings here contain direct commands. They advise the reader or listener either to follow wise behavior or avoid foolish behavior. Most of the sayings also give a reason or motive for following the command.
As in chapters 1–9, the author addresses his reader or listener as a father who advises his son. He uses second person commands and pronouns (you^(sing)). See the note on 23:15 for a list of verses where the words “my son” occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

Thirty Wise Sayings (CEV)

Words of the Wise (ESV)

Thirty Sayings of the Wise (NIV11)

Verse 22:20 mentions “thirty sayings,” but the Hebrew text itself does not number the sayings. Some versions that use the word “thirty” in the section heading also give a number as a separate heading for each saying. The GNT and CEV start numbering the sayings at 22:22. They have a total of thirty-one paragraphs. In these versions, the first paragraph (22:17–21) serves as an introduction to the thirty sayings (22:22–24:22).Scholars who identify 22:17–21 as the first saying include Hubbard (page 352), Fox (page 707), and Waltke (2004, page 22). Scholars who identify these verses as an introduction to the sayings that follow include Whybray (page 325) and Murphy (page 170). See also the NET footnote (b) on 22:16. Whether these introductory verses form the first saying or simply introduce the following sayings, all scholars agree that they function as an introduction to the whole section. Other versions, such as the NIV, NCV, and NLT, divide the paragraphs in the same way but do not have separate headings for each section. You may use either option in your translation.The NIV11 gives a number as a separate heading for each saying. But it counts the first paragraph as the first saying, and has a total of thirty paragraphs. Other versions have more or fewer paragraphs. For example, the ESV and NRSV have fifteen paragraphs. The NJB has thirty-four. Still other versions, such as the RSV, NET, and NJPS, do not group the verses into sayings or paragraphs.

For the convenience of those who decide to identify the number of each saying in their translation, the Notes will put the number in the paragraph headings, using the same numbering system as the GNT or CEV. These numbers will not be used in the Display.

Paragraph 22:29 Saying 5

The overall meaning of this saying is that a person who does high quality work can expect to be hired by kings rather than common people.

22:29

Notice the contrasting parallel parts:

^29aDo you see a man skilled in his work?

^29bHe will be stationed in the presence of kings;

^29che will not stand before obscure men.

22:29a

Do you see a man skilled in his work?

¶ Consider a person who does his work skillfully/well.
¶ If there is a person who is a competent/good worker, what will happen to him?

Do you see a man skilled in his work?: In Hebrew, this clause is a statement. For example:

You see an artisan skillful at his craft (REB)

Most versions, including the BSB, translate this clause as a rhetorical question. The purpose of the clause is to encourage the listener to think about a person who has a reputation for doing high-quality work. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Show me someone who is a truly competent worker

When a person does his job well

Think about a person who is very skillful in his work

work: In Hebrew, this word can refer to any kind of work or duties, including the work of a scribe, craftsman, or businessman.

22:29b–c

He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

He will serve kings, not people of low status.
He will not be ignored to work for lowly people. Instead he will be promoted to work for kings/rulers.

He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men: These two lines describe a benefit that the skilled worker can expect to receive. He can expect to serve kings (22:29b). By contrast, he will not be employed by ordinary people (22:29c).

He will be stationed in the presence of kings: In Hebrew, this clause is literally, “before kings he will take his stand.” This clause indicates that the skilled worker will enter the service of kings.Cohen (page 151), UBS (page 484). It may indicate specifically that he will be employed in the king’s court. It may also indicate more generally that he will work for the king.

kings: In some languages, it will be more appropriate to use a general word. For example:

you will work for a ruler (CEV)

obscure men: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “the darknesses.” The contrast with “kings” suggests that this unusual phrase refers to people who are insignificant or relatively unknown. Many languages will have idioms that refer to such people.

Some ways to translate these two lines are:

he will serve kings, not common men (REB)

They will work for kings, not for ordinary people. (NCV)

He will serve kings. He will not serve unknown people. (GW)

General Comment on 22:29b–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder these two lines. For example:

The ones he will work for ^29cwill not be people of low status ^29bbut rather kings.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

[22:29](../22/29.md) is Saying 5 of the 30 “words of the wise ones.”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

חָזִ֡יתָ אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּ⁠מְלַאכְתּ֗⁠וֹ

see (a)_man skilled in,his_of,work

Although the Hebrew text is not worded as a question, several translations make this clause into a rhetorical question. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this as a question. Alternate translation: “Have you seen a man skilled in his work?”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִ֤ישׁ ׀ מָ֘הִ֤יר בִּ⁠מְלַאכְתּ֗⁠וֹ & יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב

(a)_man skilled in,his_of,work & serve not serve

Here, a skilled man, his, he, and himself refer to a type of person in general, not a specific man. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “people skilled in their work; those people will station themselves … they will not station themselves”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לִֽ⁠פְנֵֽי & יִתְיַצָּ֑ב בַּל־יִ֝תְיַצֵּב לִ⁠פְנֵ֥י

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before & serve not serve to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before