PROV 23:28 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) They lie in wait like a robber would,
⇔ and keep adding to the number of men who become unfaithful.

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 Οὗτος γὰρ συντόμως ἀπολεῖται, καὶ πᾶς παράνομος ἀναλωθήσεται.
(Houtos gar suntomōs apoleitai, kai pas paranomos analōthaʸsetai. )

BrTr For such a one shall perish suddenly; and every transgressor shall be cut off.

ULT Surely she herself lies in wait like a robber,
⇔ and she adds to the treacherous ones among man.

UST These very women certainly wait for men to seduce like robbers wait for people to rob.
⇔ They cause many men to become unfaithful.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Yes, she lies in wait like a robber,
⇔ and increases the unfaithful amongst men.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber,
⇔ and increases the unfaithful among men.

LSV She also, as catching prey, lies in wait,
And she increases the treacherous among men.

FBV Like a robber, she lies in wait ready to ambush men and make more of them unfaithful to their wives.

T4T They wait for you like robbers [SIM],
⇔ and they cause many men to ◄be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not► their wives.

LEB • She is also like a robber lying in wait, and the faithless among mankind she increases.

BBE Yes, she is waiting secretly like a beast for its food, and deceit by her is increased among men.

Moff yes, and she lies in wait like a robber,
⇔ and many a man she plunders.
¶ 

JPS She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the faithless among men.

ASV Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber,
⇔ And increaseth the treacherous among men.

DRA She lieth in wait in the way as a robber, and him whom she shall see unwary, she will kill.

YLT She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.

Drby She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.

RV Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
(Yea, she lieth/lies in wait as a robber, and increaseth/increases the treacherous among men. )

SLT She also will lie in wait as for prey, and she will add those transgressing among men.

Wbstr She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.

KJB-1769 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.[fn]
(She also lieth/lies in wait as for a prey, and increaseth/increases the transgressors among men. )

23.28 as for…: or, as a robber

KJB-1611 [fn]She also lyeth in wait as for a pray, and increaseth the transgressours among men.
(She also lieth/lies in wait as for a pray, and increaseth/increases the transgressors among men.)

23:28 Or, as a robber.

Bshps She lyeth in wayte as for a pray, and increaseth the transgressours amongst men.
(She lieth/lies in wait as for a pray, and increaseth/increases the transgressors amongst men.)

Gnva Also she lyeth in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth the transgressers among men.
(Also she lieth/lies in wait as for a praye, and she increaseth/increases the transgressers among men. )

Cvdl She lurketh like a thefe, and those that be not awarre she brigeth vnto her.
(She lurketh like a thief, and those that be not awarre she brigeth unto her.)

Wycl Sche settith aspie in the weie, as a theef; and sche schal sle hem, whiche sche schal se vnwar.
(She settith aspie in the way, as a thief; and she shall slay/kill hem, which she shall see unwar.)

Luth Auch lauert sie wie ein Räuber und die Frechen unter den Menschen sammelt sie zu sich.
(Also lurks they/she/them as/like a robber/bandit and the Frechen under the people collects they/she/them to/for itself/yourself/themselves.)

ClVg Insidiatur in via quasi latro, et quos incautos viderit, interficiet.]
(Insidiatur in/into/on way/road as_if latro, and which incautos see, will_kill.] )

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 23:26–28 Saying 17

This saying begins with a general command: the father urges his son to carefully follow his advice (23:26). This command applies specifically to Saying 17, but it may also introduce Saying 18.According to Toy (page 436), the admonition in 23:26 applies to both of the topics that follow. In 23:27–28, the father warns his son about the dangers of getting involved with an immoral woman.

23:28

This verse continues the warning in 23:27. The first line describes the way that an immoral woman traps a man. The second line describes a result of her activities.

^28aLike a robber she lies in wait,

^28band multiplies the faithless among men.

23:28a

Like a robber she lies in wait

A woman like these is like a robber. It’s as if she waits to ambush men.
They are like criminals who hide and then take people’s money,

In Hebrew, this verse begins with a word that introduces or emphasizes another aspect of what the woman does. For example:

Yes, like a brigand, she lies in wait (NJB)

Indeed, she lies in wait like a robber (NET)

Most versions do not translate this word explicitly.

Like a robber she lies in wait: This is a simile. It compares the way that an immoral woman seduces a man to the way that a robber hides and waits in order to rob someone. Some similarities are:

Both the woman and the robber have evil intentions. They both want to get the man’s money.
In both situations, the victim does not suspect that he faces danger.

she: In Hebrew, this pronoun is singular. Many versions translate it as she. It may refer to any of the immoral women that are described in 23:27a–b. Some versions translate it as “they.”

lies in wait: This phrase is one word in Hebrew. It occurs in a similar context in 7:12b. There the BSB translates it as “lurks.” See the translation advice there.In Proverbs, this Hebrew verb occurs twice with a literal meaning (1:11b, 24:15a). It occurs four times with a figurative meaning (1:18a, 7:12b, 12:6a, 23:38a).

Some other ways to translate this line are:

They wait for you like robbers (GNT)

They ambush you like robbers (NCV)

23:28b

and multiplies the faithless among men.

As a result, she increases the number of men who have not been faithful/loyal.
and they cause many men to break their vows/promises to their wives.

and multiplies the faithless among men: This clause describes what happens when an immoral woman seduces a man. She increases the number of men who are faithless or “unfaithful” (NIV).

faithless: In Hebrew, this word probably refers here to men who are disloyal or break their promise to someone. It means that they lack faithfulness. It does not mean that they lack faith in God.

The verse does not specify the object of the word faithless. Men who have sex with a prostitute or an adulteress are:

Unfaithful to their wives. They break their marriage vows.
They are also faithless to God or God’s law. They break their promise to obey God and follow his laws.

If possible, translate in a way that allows either meaning. For example:

and cause many men to be unfaithful (GNT)

If you need to specify one of these options in your language, specify option (a). For example:

and cause many men to be unfaithful to their wives (NCV)

As a result, she adds to the number of men who have broken their wedding vows.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

הִ֭יא כְּ⁠חֶ֣תֶף תֶּֽאֱרֹ֑ב

she/it like,a_robber lies_in_wait

Here, the writer compares a prostitute to a robber who lies in wait because she wants to get the man’s money. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. See how you translated lies in wait in [7:12](../07/12.md). Alternate translation: “she herself lies in wait like a robber to steal a man’s money ”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rpronouns

הִ֭יא & תֶּֽאֱרֹ֑ב

she/it & lies_in_wait

The writer uses the word herself to emphasize who it is who harms men. Use a way that is natural in your language to indicate this significance. Alternate translation: “she is the very one who lies in wait”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ֝⁠בוֹגְדִ֗ים & תּוֹסִֽף

and,[those_who]_act_treacherously & increases

Here the writer speaks of a prostitute causing men to act unfaithfully as if she were adding them to a group of treacherous ones. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and she causes more men to become treacherous”

Note 4 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

בְּ⁠אָדָ֥ם

among,humankind

In this verse, the word man is singular in form, but it refers to all men as a group. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this plainly, as in the UST.

Parallel PROV 23:28

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

Paragraph 23:26–28 Saying 17

23:28

23:28a

23:28b