Proverbs 24:22 — compare Bible translations

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Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal Speaker(s)=The wise (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 Ἐξαίφνης γὰρ τίσονται τοὺς ἀσεβεῖς, τὰς δὲ τιμωρίας ἀμφοτέρων τίς γνώσεται;
(Exaifnaʸs gar tisontai tous asebeis, tas de timōrias amfoterōn tis gnōsetai;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22a) Λόγον φυλασσόμενος υἱὸς ἀπωλείας ἐκτὸς ἔσται, [δεχόμενος δὲ ἐδέξατο αὐτόν·
(Logon fulassomenos huios apōleias ektos estai, [deⱪomenos de edexato auton;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22b) μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης βασιλεῖ λεγέσθω, καὶ οὐδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ γλώσσης αὐτοῦ οὐ μή ἐξέλθῃ·
(maʸden pseudos apo glōssaʸs basilei legesthō, kai ouden pseudos apo glōssaʸs autou ou maʸ exelthaʸ;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22c) μάχαιρα γλῶσσα βασιλέως καὶ οὐ σαρκίνη, ὃς δʼ ἂν παραδοθῇ συντριβήσεται·
(maⱪaira glōssa basileōs kai ou sarkinaʸ, hos dʼ an paradothaʸ suntribaʸsetai;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22d) ἐὰν γὰρ ὀξυνθῇ ὁ θυμὸς αὐτοῦ, σὺν νεύροις ἀνθρώπους ἀναλίσκει,
(ean gar oxunthaʸ ho thumos autou, sun neurois anthrōpous analiskei,)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22e) καὶ ὀστᾶ ἀνθρώπων κατατρώγει, καὶ συγκαίει ὥσπερ φλὸξ, ὥστε ἄβρωτα εἶναι νεοσσοῖς ἀετῶν·
(kai osta anthrōpōn katatrōgei, kai sugkaiei hōsper flox, hōste abrōta einai neossois aetōn;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22f) τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους υἱὲ φοβήθητι, καὶ δεξάμενος αὐτοὺς μετανόει.]
¶ Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῖς πιστεύουσι Θεῷ, καὶ παύομαι.
(tous emous logous huie fobaʸthaʸti, kai dexamenos autous metanoei.]
¶ Tade legei ho anaʸr tois pisteuousi Theōi, kai pauomai.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22g) Ἀφρονέστατος γάρ εἰμι ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων, καὶ φρόνησις ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἐμοί.
(Afronestatos gar eimi hapantōn anthrōpōn, kai fronaʸsis anthrōpōn ouk estin en emoi.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22h) Θεὸς δεδίδαχέ με σοφίαν, καὶ γνῶσιν ἁγίων ἔγνωκα.
(Theos dedidaⱪe me sofian, kai gnōsin hagiōn egnōka.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22i) Τίς ἀνέβη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ κατέβη; τίς συνήγαγεν ἀνέμους ἐν κόλπῳ; τίς συνέστρεψεν ὕδωρ ἐν ἱματίῳ; τίς ἐκράτησε πάντων τῶν ἄκρων τῆς γῆς; τί ὄνομα αὐτῷ; ἢ τί ὄνομα τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτοῦ;
(Tis anebaʸ eis ton ouranon kai katebaʸ; tis sunaʸgagen anemous en kolpōi; tis sunestrepsen hudōr en himatiōi; tis ekrataʸse pantōn tōn akrōn taʸs gaʸs; ti onoma autōi; aʸ ti onoma tois teknois autou;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22k) Πάντες γὰρ λόγοι Θεοῦ πεπυρωμένοι, ὑπερασπίζει δὲ αὐτὸς τῶν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτόν.
(Pantes gar logoi Theou pepurōmenoi, huperaspizei de autos tōn eulaboumenōn auton.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22l) Μὴ προσθῇς τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἐλέγξῃ σε, καὶ ψευδὴς γένῃ.
(Maʸ prosthaʸs tois logois autou, hina maʸ elegxaʸ se, kai pseudaʸs genaʸ.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22m) Δύο αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ, μὴ ἀφέλῃς μου χάριν πρὸ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν με.
(Duo aitoumai para sou, maʸ afelaʸs mou ⱪarin pro tou apothanein me.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22n) Μάταιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ μακράν μου ποίησον, πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ πενίαν μή μοι δῷς, σύνταξον δέ μοι τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὰ αὐτάρκη·
(Mataion logon kai pseudaʸ makran mou poiaʸson, plouton de kai penian maʸ moi dōis, suntaxon de moi ta deonta kai ta autarkaʸ;)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22o) Ἵνα μὴ πλησθεὶς ψευδὴς γένωμαι, καὶ εἴπω, τίς με ὁρᾷ; ἢ πενηθεὶς κλέψω, καὶ ὀμόσω τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ.
(Hina maʸ plaʸstheis pseudaʸs genōmai, kai eipō, tis me hora; aʸ penaʸtheis klepsō, kai omosō to onoma tou Theou.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22p) Μὴ παραδῷς οἰκέτην εἰς χεῖρας δεσπότου, μήποτε καταράσηταί σε καὶ ἀφανισθῇς.
(Maʸ paradōis oiketaʸn eis ⱪeiras despotou, maʸpote katarasaʸtai se kai afanisthaʸs.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22q) Ἔκγονον κακὸν πατέρα καταρᾶται, τὴς δὲ μητέρα οὐκ εὐλογεῖ.
(Ekgonon kakon patera kataratai, taʸs de maʸtera ouk eulogei.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22r) Ἔκγονον κακὸν δίκαιον ἑαυτὸν κρίνει, τὴν δʼ ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀπένιψεν.
(Ekgonon kakon dikaion heauton krinei, taʸn dʼ exodon autou ouk apenipsen.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22s) Ἔκγονον κακὸν ὑψηλοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχει, τοῖς δὲ βλεφάροις αὐτοῦ ἐπαίρεται.
(Ekgonon kakon hupsaʸlous ofthalmous eⱪei, tois de blefarois autou epairetai.)

BrLXX (PRO 24:22t) Ἔκγονον κακὸν μαχαίρας τοὺς ὀδόντας ἔχει, καὶ τὰς μύλας, τομίδας, ὥστε ἀναλίσκειν καὶ κατεσθίειν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ τοὺς πένητας αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων.
(Ekgonon kakon maⱪairas tous odontas eⱪei, kai tas mulas, tomidas, hōste analiskein kai katesthiein tous tapeinous apo taʸs gaʸs, kai tous penaʸtas autōn ex anthrōpōn.)

BrTr For they will suddenly punish the ungodly, and who can know the vengeance inflicted by both?

BrTr (PRO 24:22a) [fn][A son that keeps the commandment shall [fn]escape destruction; for such an one has fully received it.

24:22a Heb. omits to the end.

24:22a Lit. be outside of.

BrTr (PRO 24:22b) Let no falsehood be spoken by the king from the tongue; yea, let no falsehood proceed from his tongue.

BrTr (PRO 24:22c) The king's tongue is a sword, and not one of flesh; and whosoever shall be given up to it shall be destroyed:

BrTr (PRO 24:22d) for if his wrath should be provoked, he destroys men with cords,

BrTr (PRO 24:22e) and devours men's bones, and burns them up as a flame, so that they are not even fit to be eaten by the young eagles.

BrTr (PRO 24:22f) My son, reverence my words, and receive them, and repent.]
¶ These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.

BrTr (PRO 24:22g) For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.

BrTr (PRO 24:22h) God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.

BrTr (PRO 24:22i) Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?

BrTr (PRO 24:22k) For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.

BrTr (PRO 24:22l) Add not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be made a liar.

BrTr (PRO 24:22m) Two things I ask of thee; take not favour from me before I die.

BrTr (PRO 24:22n) Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth or poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:

BrTr (PRO 24:22o) lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear vainly by the name of God.

BrTr (PRO 24:22p) Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be utterly destroyed.

BrTr (PRO 24:22q) A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.

BrTr (PRO 24:22r) A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.

BrTr (PRO 24:22s) A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.

BrTr (PRO 24:22t) A wicked generation have swords for teeth and jaw-teeth as knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from among men.

ULT For suddenly their calamity will arise,
⇔ and who, is knowing the destruction of the two of them?

UST because disastrous things will happen quickly to those people,
⇔ and no one knows how terribly both Yahweh and kings can destroy others!

BSB For they will bring sudden destruction.
⇔ Who knows what ruin [they] can bring?

OEB No OEB PRO 24:22 book available

WEBBE for their calamity will rise suddenly.
⇔ Who knows what destruction may come from them both?

NET for suddenly their destruction will overtake them,
⇔ and who knows the ruinous judgment both the Lord and the king can bring?

LSV For their calamity rises suddenly,
And the ruin of them both—who knows!

FBV for disaster will suddenly fall on them. Who knows how the Lord and king[fn] will punish them?

24:22 “The Lord and king”: literally “they both,” referring back to the previous verse.

T4T because those people will suddenly experience disasters;
⇔ and no one knows [RHQ] what great disasters that God or the king can cause to happen to them.

LEB • For suddenly their disaster will come,
• and the ruin of both of them ,[fn] who knows?

24:? Literally “the two of them”

BBE For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?

Moff aa they can crush you swiftly,
⇔ they can destroy you suddenly. * * *

JPS For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?

ASV For their calamity shall rise suddenly;
⇔ And the destruction from them both, who knoweth it?

DRA For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth the ruin of both?

YLT For suddenly doth their calamity rise, And the ruin of them both — who knoweth!

Drby For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

RV For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the destruction of them both?
(For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth/knows the destruction of them both?)

SLT For suddenly shall their calamity rise, and who shall make known the misfortune of them two?

Wbstr For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?

KJB-1769 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
(For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth/knows the ruin of them both?)

KJB-1611 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps For their destruction shall rise sodainlye: and who knoweth the aduersitie that may come from them both?
(For their destruction shall rise suddenly: and who knoweth/knows the adversity that may come from them both?)

Gnva For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both?
(For their destruction shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth/knows the ruin of them both?)

Cvdl for their destruccion shal come sodenly, & who knoweth ye fall of the both?
(for their destruction shall come suddenly, and who knoweth/knows ye/you_all fall of the both?)

Wycl For her perdicioun schal rise togidere sudenli, and who knowith the fal of euer either?
(For her perdition/destruction/punishment shall rise together suddenly, and who knoweth/knows the fall of ever either?)

Luth Denn ihr Unfall wird plötzlich entstehen; und wer weiß, wann beider Unglück kommt?
(Because you(pl)/their/her misfortune becomes suddenly arise; and who white/knows, when both accident/misfortune/disaster comes?)

ClVg quoniam repente consurget perditio eorum, et ruinam utriusque quis novit?]
(since/because suddenly will_rise destruction their, and ruin of_both who/any he_knows?])

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 24:21–22 Saying 30

In this saying, the teacher advises his son to respect and obey both the LORD and the king (24:21). If he opposes them, disaster will be the result (24:22).

24:22

This verse gives parallel reasons to not join people who rebel against the LORD or the king. Notice the parts that are similar in meaning (in the BSB):

^22aFor they will bring sudden destruction.

^22bWho knows what ruin they can bring?

In Hebrew, these two lines are more literally:

^22afor their disaster will arise suddenly,

^22band who knows the ruin of both of them?

By itself, the first line is ambiguous. The pronoun “their” could refer to the LORD and the king (the disaster comes from them). It could also refer to the rebels (the disaster happens to the rebels). But the pronoun “both of them” in the second line is not ambiguous. It clearly refers to the LORD and the king, so the overall meaning of the parallel lines is clear.

24:22a–b

(combined/reordered)

For no one can know/imagine the sudden disaster/punishment that those two will cause to happen to people like that.

sudden destruction…ruin: In Hebrew, both these terms are singular. They refer to the same disaster. The verse does not specify what kind of disaster will happen. From the context, it is clearly a punishment that is caused by the LORD and/or the king. The NLT makes this explicit in 24:22b. It has:

Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king?

24:22a

For they will bring sudden destruction.

For Yahweh and the king will cause such people to experience sudden disaster.
For those two will quickly destroy such people.

For they will bring sudden destruction: As mentioned in the previous note, the pronoun they here refers to the LORD and the king. Some translations clarify who sends the disaster and who experiences it. For example:

for those two will send sudden destruction upon them (NIV)

The Lord and the king will quickly destroy such people. (NCV)

Some versions wait until the second line to clarify the pronoun reference. See the NLT (quoted below). You should use a natural way in your language to make the meaning clear.

24:22b

Who knows what ruin they can bring?

Do you^(sing) realize how terrible/severe that punishment will be?
What happens to them will be too hard to think about!

Who knows what ruin they can bring?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that no one can know how bad the destruction will be. It implies that the ruin the LORD or the king can bring is very severe. Two ways to translate this emphasis are:

General Comment on 24:22a–b

As a rhetorical question. For example:
Do you realize how terrible the destruction from these two will be?
As a statement. For example:
Those two can cause great disaster! (NCV)

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:

Who knows what sudden disaster the Lord or a ruler might bring? (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֵידָ֑⁠ם

calamity_of,their

See how you translated the abstract nouns calamity in 1:26.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יָק֣וּם

come

Here, the writer speaks of calamity occurring as if it were an object that arises. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [will occur]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וּ⁠פִ֥יד שְׁ֝נֵי⁠הֶ֗ם מִ֣י יוֹדֵֽעַ

and_[the],disaster_of (Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when suddenly come calamity_of,their and_[the],disaster_of both_of=them who? knows )

The writer is using the question form to emphasize how terrible the destruction will be. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [and no one knows how terrible the destruction will be from the two of them!]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וּ⁠פִ֥יד שְׁ֝נֵי⁠הֶ֗ם

and_[the],disaster_of (Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when suddenly come calamity_of,their and_[the],disaster_of both_of=them who? knows )

the writer is using the possessive form to describe a destruction that is brought about by the two of them. If a speaker of your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could express this idea in another way. Alternate translation: [how destructive the two of them can be]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

שְׁ֝נֵי⁠הֶ֗ם

(Some words not found in UHB: that/for/because/then/when suddenly come calamity_of,their and_[the],disaster_of both_of=them who? knows )

This phrase refers to “Yahweh and the king” mentioned in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [Yahweh and the king]