PROV 26:17 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) The person who gets angry about a quarrel that’s nothing to do with them,
⇔ is like someone grabbing the ears of a dog that’s passing by.

Key: khaki:verbs, 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 ὁ κρατῶν κέρκου κυνὸς, οὕτως ὁ προεστὼς ἀλλοτρίας κρίσεως.
(Hōsper ho kratōn kerkou kunos, houtōs ho proestōs allotrias kriseōs. )

BrTr As he that lays hold of a dog's tail, so is he that makes himself the champion of another's cause.

ULT One grabbing the ears of a dog passing by
⇔ is one infuriating himself over a dispute not for him.

UST People who make themselves angry because of an argument that does not concern them
⇔ are as foolish as people who grab the ears of a dog that is passing by.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Like one who grabs a dog’s ears
⇔ is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Like one who grabs a wild dog by the ears,
⇔ so is the person passing by who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own.

LSV Laying hold on the ears of a dog,
[Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife [that is] not his own.

FBV Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.

T4T ⇔ Anyone who ◄meddles/involves himself► in a quarrel that does not concern him
⇔ is as foolish as [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.

LEB • Grabbing onto the ears of a dog passing by is one who meddles in a quarrel that is not his own.

BBE He who gets mixed up in a fight which is not his business, is like one who takes a dog by the ears while it is going by.

Moff He catches a passing dog by the ears
⇔ who meddles with a quarrel not his own.

JPS He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife not his own, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

ASV He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him,
⇔ Is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

DRA As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man’s quarrel.

YLT Laying hold on the ears of a dog, [Is] a passer-by making himself wrath for strife not his own.

Drby He that passing by vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is [like] one that taketh a dog by the ears.

RV He that passeth by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
(He that passeth/passes by, and vexeth himself with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh/takes a dog by the ears. )

SLT Laying hold upon the ears of a dog, he passing by overflowing upon strife not to him.

Wbstr He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

KJB-1769 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.[fn]
(He that passeth/passes by, and meddleth/meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh/takes a dog by the ears. )

26.17 meddleth: or, is enraged

KJB-1611 [fn]He that passeth by, and medleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the eares.
(He that passeth/passes by, and meddleth/meddles with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh/takes a dog by the ears.)

26:17 Or, is enraged.

Bshps Who so goeth by and medleth with other mens strife: he is like one that taketh a dogge by the eares.
(Whoso/Whoever goeth/goes by and meddleth/meddles with other men’s strife: he is like one that taketh/takes a dog by the ears.)

Gnva He that passeth by and medleth with the strife that belongeth not vnto him, is as one that taketh a dog by the eares.
(He that passeth/passes by and meddleth/meddles with the strife that belongeth/belongs not unto him, is as one that taketh/takes a dog by the ears. )

Cvdl Who so goeth by and medleth with other mens strife, he is like one yt taketh a dogg by ye eares.
(Whoso/Whoever goeth/goes by and meddleth/meddles with other men’s strife, he is like one it taketh/takes a dog by ye/you_all ears.)

Wycl As he that takith a dogge bi the eeris; so he that passith, and is vnpacient, and is meddlid with the chiding of anothir man.
(As he that taketh/takes a dog by the ears; so he that passeth/passes, and is unpacient, and is meddled with the chiding of another man.)

Luth Wer vorgehet und sich menget in fremden Hader, der ist wie einer, der den Hund bei den Ohren zwacket.
(Who before/in_front_ofgehet and itself/yourself/themselves mixed in strangers Hader, the/of_the is as/like one/a, the/of_the the Hund at/in the ears zwacket.)

ClVg [Sicut qui apprehendit auribus canem, sic qui transit impatiens et commiscetur rixæ alterius.[fn]
([Like who/which apprehends in_the_ears canem, so who/which transit impatiens and commiscetur rixæ another's. )

26.17 Sicut qui apprehendit. Noli verbis contendere, ad nihilum utile est nisi ad subversionem audientium. Quicunque simplex sensu est et duobus inter se jurgantibus, mordaci sermone capta ejus aure, cito incipit quasi canis latrare et contentiones generare, sed sapiens omnino vitat.

26.17 Like who/which apprehends. Don't with_words to_contend, to nothing useful it_is except to subversionem of_listeners. Whoever simplex sense it_is and for_two between himself yurgantibus, mordaci speech captured his aure, quickly begins as_if dog to_bark and contentiones generare, but wise completely vitat.

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

26:17–28

These verses all say something about people who damage their relationships with others in various ways.

26:17

The NRSV has been used as the source line, because it agrees with the textual recommendations. The textual issues will be discussed separately in 26:17a–b and 26:17b.

^17aLike somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears (NRSV)

^17bis one who meddles in the quarrel of another. (NRSV)

The topic of this proverb (26:17b) is a person who interferes in someone else’s quarrel. It compares him to someone who grabs a passing dog by the ears (26:17a). The similarity is that both actions are foolish and dangerous.

26:17a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ A person who angrily joins people who are arguing with each other is like a person who grabs a dog that is passing by and yanks his ears.
¶ If other people are arguing about something that does not concern you^(sing) and you become angry and start arguing with them, you are just as foolish as a person who grabs a stray/passing dog by the ears.

(NRSV) Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears is one who meddles in the quarrel of another: There is a textual issue here. In Hebrew, the word for “passing/passer-by” can go with either of the poetic lines:In Hebrew, the word order is: “[one who] seizes the ears of a dog a passer-by [one who] meddles…” In the Masoretic Text, there is an accent mark that indicates a pause or break in reading the text after the word for dog.

Some scholars connect the word “passing” with “dog” in 26:17a. They do not follow the Masoretic accent mark that is described in option (2). For example:
^17aLike the man who seizes a passing dog by the ears
^17bis he who meddles in a quarrel not his own. (NAB) (ESV, NAB, NIV11, NJB, NRSV, REB)TN has listed the NJB and REB under option (1), because these versions do not connect a word such as “passing” with the meddler. They describe the dog as “a stray,” which is perhaps a more common term in English to describe a dog that passes by.
In the Masoretic Text, there is an accent mark, which indicates that the word “passer-by” refers to the person who “meddles.” For example:
^17aLike one who seizes a dog by the ears
^17bis a passer-by who meddles in a quarrel not his own. (NIV) (BSB, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, GNT)
The Septuagint (LXX) omits the word “passing.”The LXX also has “tail” instead of “ears.” English versions referred to in TN all have “ears.” For example:
Interfering in someone else’s argument is as foolish as yanking a dog’s ears. (NLT) (CEV, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) or (2).Scholars who recommend either option include Kidner, McKane, and the HOTTP. As McKane (page 252) points out, the difference in meaning is not significant. Whether the person or the dog is the “passer-by,” the point of the comparison is affected very little. Either way, the context implies that the dog does not belong to the person who seizes its ears. Nor does the person who meddles belong to the group that is arguing.

The Notes will follow option (1), along with a majority of scholars.Scholars who favor option (1) include Waltke, Fox, Hubbard, Whybray, Delitzsch, and Murphy. With this option, the length of the poetic lines is better balanced with three parallel pairs in each line.For further reasons that favor option (1), see Waltke (page 340, footnote 26).

26:17a

Like one who grabs a dog by the ears

¶ Just like a person who grabs the ears of a passing dog,
¶ It is foolish/dangerous to pull the ears of a stray dog.

(NRSV) Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears: This line indicates that a person grabs or pulls the ears of a dog that is going past him. It is implied that this is a dog that the person does not own or know. It is foolish and dangerous to grab the ears of such a dog. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Like someone who seizes a stray cur by the ears (REB)

Like a person who foolishly pulls the ears of a strange/wild dog

The preceding two examples do not explicitly use a word such as passing. But both imply that the dog “passes by” within reach of the person.

26:17b

is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

so also is a person who interferes in someone else’s argument.
It is just as foolish/dangerous if you^(sing) angrily join other people in a quarrel that has nothing to do with you.

(NRSV) is one who meddles in a quarrel of another: There is a textual issue here that relates to the word meddles:

The Latin Vulgate and Syriac evidently assumed that the original Hebrew text had the word “mitʿareb.” This word means “meddles” or “interferes.” For example:
Interfering in someone else’s quarrel (NCV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJB, NLT, NRSV, REB, GNT)
The Masoretic Text has the word “mitʿabber”(with r and b in the opposite order). This word means “becomes furious” or “infuriates oneself.” For example:
who becomes furious over a quarrel not his own (NET) (NET, NIV11, NJPS)The NIV11 has “who rushes into a quarrel not their own.” The NJPS has: “who gets embroiled in someone else’s quarrel.” Although these versions do not necessarily imply great anger, they have been listed here because they do imply more emotional involvement than a translation such as “meddles.”

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most English versions. The context of the parallel line clearly implies that the person joins in the quarrel. He does not simply become angry about it.

However, most scholars favor a word with a stronger meaning than the word meddles implies in English. If your language has a word or phrase that implies anger or emotional involvement in a quarrel, it would be appropriate to use it here.

General Comment on 26:17a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to state the topic before the illustration. For example:

If you^(sing) interfere in someone else’s quarrel, you are like a person who grabs the ears of a passing dog.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּ⁠אָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר עַל־רִ֥יב לֹּֽא־לֽ⁠וֹ

takes on_[the],ears_of dog passing_by meddles on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in quarrel not to=him/it

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these clauses. Alternate translation: “One who infuriates himself over a dispute not for him is one who grabs the ears of a dog passing by”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּ⁠אָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר

takes on_[the],ears_of dog passing_by

In this verse, Solomon refers to someone who infuriates himself over a dispute not for him as if that person were One who grabs the ears of a dog passing by. Both clauses are examples of a reckless or foolish act that would only harm the person who does it. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “One who foolishly harms himself” or “Like one who grabs the ears of a dog passing by”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מַחֲזִ֥יק בְּ⁠אָזְנֵי־כָ֑לֶב עֹבֵ֥ר

takes on_[the],ears_of dog passing_by

Here Solomon implies that grabbing the ears of a dog is a reckless or foolish act because the the dog will react by biting the person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “One who foolishly causes a dog to bite him by grabbing its ears”

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

כָ֑לֶב

dog

See how you translated dog in [26:11](../26/11.md).

Note 5 topic: translate-textvariants

עֹבֵ֥ר מִ֝תְעַבֵּ֗ר

passing_by meddles

The word translated as passing by can also mean “one passing by,” in which case it would refer to one who infuriates and be part of the second clause. If a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to use the reading that it uses. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to use the reading of the ULT. Alternate translation (preceded by a comma): “is one passing by who infuriates himself”

לֹּֽא־לֽ⁠וֹ

not to=him/it

Alternate translation: “not about him” or “that he has nothing to do with”