PROV 26:1 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: red:negative.
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 Ὥσπερ δρόσος ἐν ἀμητῷ, καὶ ὥσπερ ὑετὸς ἐν θέρει, οὕτως οὐκ ἔστιν ἄφρουι τιμή.
(Hōsper drosos en amaʸtōi, kai hōsper huetos en therei, houtōs ouk estin afroui timaʸ. )

BrTr As dew in harvest, and as rain in summer, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

ULT Like the snow in the summer and like the rain in the harvest,
⇔ so honor is not suitable for a stupid one.

UST Honoring foolish people is just as inappropriate
⇔ as snow falling in hot summer and rain falling during the time to harvest crops.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
⇔ so honour is not fitting for a fool.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
⇔ so honor is not fitting for a fool.

LSV As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
So honor [is] not fitting for a fool.

FBV Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.

T4T Just like [SIM] it is not appropriate for snow to fall in summer time, or rain to fall at harvest time,
⇔ it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.

LEB No LEB PROV 26:1 verse available

BBE Like snow in summer and rain when the grain is being cut, so honour is not natural for the foolish.

Moff Like snow in summer and rain in harvest,
⇔ so honour for a fool is out of place.

JPS As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

ASV As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest,
⇔ So honor is not seemly for a fool.

DRA As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool.

YLT As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, So honour [is] not comely for a fool.

Drby As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour beseemeth not a fool.

RV As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

SLT As snow in summer and as rain in harvest, so honor not becoming to the foolish one.

Wbstr As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest; so honor is not seemly for a fool.

KJB-1769 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

KJB-1611 ¶ As snow in summer, and as raine in haruest: so honour is not seemely for a foole.
(¶ As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest: so honour is not seemely for a fool.)

Bshps Lyke as snowe is not meete in sommer and rayne in haruest: euen so is worship vnseemely for a foole.
(Like as snow is not meet in summer and rain in harvest: even so is worship unseemely for a fool.)

Gnva As the snowe in the sommer, and as the raine in the haruest are not meete, so is honour vnseemely for a foole.
(As the snow in the summer, and as the rain in the harvest are not meet, so is honour unseemely for a fool. )

Cvdl Like as snowe is not mete in sommer, ner rayne in haruest: euen so is worshipe vnsemely for a foole.
(Like as snow is not meet in summer, nor rain in harvest: even so is worship unsemely for a fool.)

Wycl As snow in somer, and reyn in heruest; so glorie is vnsemeli to a fool.
(As snow in summer, and rain in harvest; so glory is unsemeli to a fool.)

Luth Wie der Schnee im Sommer und Regen in der Ernte, also reimet sich dem Narren Ehre nicht.
(How the/of_the snow in_the summer and Regen in the/of_the harvest, also reimet itself/yourself/themselves to_him fool(n) honour(n) not.)

ClVg [Quomodo nix in æstate, et pluviæ in messe, sic indecens est stulto gloria.[fn]
([How/In_what_manner nix in/into/on summer, and rain in/into/on harvest, so indecens it_is stupid glory. )

26.1 Quomodo nix in æstate. Nix in æstate et pluviæ in messe, etc., usque ad quod Arianæ tempestatis calamitas probavit.

26.1 How/In_what_manner nix in/into/on summer. Nix in/into/on summer and rain in/into/on harvest, etc., until to that Arianæ tempestatis calamity/disaster probavit.

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 25:1–29:27: This is Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the second collection of Solomon’s proverbs. These proverbs were organized and copied by men who served King Hezekiah. Most scholars divide this section into two groups. These groups differ in several ways.

The first group (chapters 25–27) has many more comparisons and admonitions. In Hebrew, most of these comparisons are metaphors in which one or more illustrations precede the topic. Some English versions change the order so that the topic precedes the illustration(s). You should follow the order that expresses the meaning naturally and effectively in your language.

In the first group, many proverbs are one verse long. As with the individual proverbs in the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (Section 10:1–22:16), they are not related to the proverbs around them. Other proverbs in this group are two or more verses long. Still others are one-verse proverbs that are closely related in theme. Proverbs in all three categories will be marked as separate paragraphs.

The second group (chapters 28–29) has more contrastive proverbs. The proverbs in this group are each one verse long. They will not be marked as separate paragraphs.

Some other headings for this section are:

More Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah (NET)

These are also wise things that Solomon said

26:1–28

This chapter warns against various kinds of behavior that can endanger or harm either individuals or their community as a whole. There are three main topics: the fool (26:1–12), the lazy person (26:13–16), and people who damage their relationships with others in various ways, especially in the way that they speak (26:17–28).

The chapter contains many comparisons. Verses 1, 2, 8, 11, 18, and 22 use similes. In Hebrew, verses 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 20, and 21 use the word “and” to join the two lines. Verses 6, 17, and 23 simply join the two lines without a word such as “like” or “and.”This chapter summary is taken from UBS (pages 556–557) and Whybray (pages 370–371). In Hebrew, all these comparisons give the illustration before the topic.

Some English versions use similes to translate all three kinds of comparison. Some versions also put the topic before the illustration. In each case, you should use a natural way in your language to express the comparison.

26:1–12

Except for verse 2, these verses all say something about fools. The same Hebrew word for “fool” is used each time. See the note in 26:1b.

26:1

This proverb uses two unusual weather conditions to illustrate that it is inappropriate or wrong for a fool to be honored. The underlined parts refer to things that are inappropriate in certain contexts (parts with bold print).

^1aLike snow in summer and rain at harvest,

^1b honor does not befit a fool.

The similarity between the two illustrations (26:1a) and the topic (26:1b) is that all three describe situations that:

should not occur
are not normal or suitable
may cause damage

26:1a

Like snow in summer and rain at harvest,

¶ It shouldn’t snow in summer or rain at harvest. (NCV)
¶ If there is snow in the hot season or there is rain in the dry season, people think that something is not right/normal.

Like snow in summer and rain at harvest: In Palestine, it does not normally snow during the hot summer months. Nor does it rain during the dry harvest season when crops are ripe. Snow and rain during these times would be inappropriate and would damage the crops.

snow in summer: In some areas, people may not be familiar with snow or summer. Another way to translate this phrase is:

cold in the hot season

rain at harvest: Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

rain during the dry season

rain when it is time to gather ripe crops

26:1a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ When people honor a fool, that respect/honor is not appropriate/normal. It is like snow that falls when it is hot or rain that falls during the dry time.
¶ If people appoint a foolish person to a job where he has authority and honor, it is not appropriate/suitable. It is like a cold day in the hot months or like rain when it is time to gather ripe crops.

26:1b

honor does not befit a fool.

Neither should a foolish person ever be honored. (NCV)
Similarly, it is not appropriate/right if a stupid fool has an important/high position.

honor: Many scholars think that the word honor refers here to a position of high status and responsibility in the community.These scholars include Cohen (page 173), Whybray (page 371), Waltke (pages 345–346), and Toy (page 472). Delitzsch (page 381) and Ross (page 1086) mention both respect and a position of honor. McKane (page 595) mentions “reputation, stature and influence.” The GNT translates this word as “praise.” If possible, use a word or phrase in your language that includes respect, authority, and other kinds of honor.

does not befit: The phrase that the BSB translates as does not befit means “unsuitable,” “inappropriate,” or “wrong.” It refers to a situation that is contrary to what people in a particular culture consider to be normal or proper.

a fool: In Hebrew, this word for fool refers to someone who does what is stupid and wrong because he is mentally lazy and self-satisfied. He does not understand the need to change his own foolish behavior and does not want to think about the consequences. See fool 2 in the Glossary.

Some other ways to translate 26:1b are:

so honor is not right for a fool (GW)

Neither should a foolish person ever be honored

In the same way, it is inappropriate to appoint a fool to a high/important position.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

כַּ⁠שֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּ⁠קַּ֗יִץ וְ⁠כַ⁠מָּטָ֥ר בַּ⁠קָּצִ֑יר כֵּ֤ן לֹא־נָאוֶ֖ה לִ⁠כְסִ֣יל כָּבֽוֹד

like,snow in,summer and,like,rain at,harvest yes/correct/thus/so not fitting for,a_fool honour

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these clauses. Alternate translation: “Honor is not suitable for a stupid one like the snow in the summer and like the rain in the harvest”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

כַּ⁠שֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּ⁠קַּ֗יִץ וְ⁠כַ⁠מָּטָ֥ר בַּ⁠קָּצִ֑יר & לִ⁠כְסִ֣יל

like,snow in,summer and,like,rain at,harvest & for,a_fool

Here, the snow, the summer, the rain, the harvest, and a stupid one, refer to these things and that type of person in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated a stupid one in [10:18](../10/18.md). Alternate translation: “Like any snow in any summer and like any rain in any harvest … for any stupid person”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

כַּ⁠שֶּׁ֤לֶג ׀ בַּ⁠קַּ֗יִץ וְ⁠כַ⁠מָּטָ֥ר בַּ⁠קָּצִ֑יר

like,snow in,summer and,like,rain at,harvest

The words Like and so in this verse indicate that Solomon is comparing snow in the summer and rain in the harvest with honor for a stupid one. The point is that all three of these are not suitable or inappropriate. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this more explicit. Alternate translation: “Just as the snow in the summer or the rain in the harvest are not suitable”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

כָּבֽוֹד

honour

See how you translated the abstract noun honor in [3:16](../03/16.md).