PROV 27:20 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) The grave and destruction are never satisfied,
⇔ ≈ and people’s eyes are never satisfied.

27:20 OSHB variant note: ו/אבדה: (x-qere) ’וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ’: lemma_c/10 n_1.0 morph_HC/Ncmsc id_20mvX וַ֭/אֲבַדּוֹ

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 Ἅδης καὶ ἀπώλεια οὐκ ἐμπίμπλανται, ὡσαύτως καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄπληστοι·
(Hadaʸs kai apōleia ouk empimplantai, hōsautōs kai hoi ofthalmoi tōn anthrōpōn aplaʸstoi; )

BrTr Hell and destruction are not filled; so also are the eyes of men insatiable.

ULT Sheol and Abaddon are not satisfied,
⇔ and the eyes of the man are not satisfied.

UST Just as the place where dead people go never becomes full;
⇔ so people never stop wanting things.

BSB Sheol and Abaddon[fn] are never satisfied;
⇔ so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Sheol[fn] and Abaddon are never satisfied;
⇔ and a man’s eyes are never satisfied.

27:20 Sheol is the place of the dead.

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET As Death and Destruction are never satisfied,
⇔ so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.

LSV Sheol and destruction are not satisfied,
And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

FBV In the same way that the grave and destruction[fn] are never satisfied, human desire is never satisfied.

27:20 “The grave and destruction”: literally, “Sheol and Abaddon.”

T4T ⇔ It is as though the place where the dead people are is always wanting more people to die and come there;
⇔ and humans [SYN] are always wanting to acquire more things, too.

LEB • Sheol[fn] and Abaddon[fn] will not be satisfied, and the eyes of a person will not be satisfied either.

27:? A term for the place where the dead reside, i.e., the Underworld

27:? Poetic synonym for “Sheol.” Only mentioned in the ot in relation to Sheol, the grave, or death.

BBE The underworld and Abaddon are never full, and the eyes of man have never enough.

Moff Death and the grave are never satisfied;
⇔ neither are man’s desires.

JPS The nether-world and Destruction are never satiated; so the eyes of man are never satiated.

ASV Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;
⇔ And the eyes of man are never satisfied.

DRA Hell and destruction are never filled: so the eyes of men are never satisfied.

YLT Sheol and destruction are not satisfied, And the eyes of man are not satisfied.

Drby Sheol and destruction are insatiable; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

RV Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and the eyes of man are never satisfied.

SLT Hades and destruction shall not be satisfied; and the eyes of man shall not be satisfied.

Wbstr Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

KJB-1769 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.[fn]

27.20 never: Heb. not

KJB-1611 [fn]Hell and destruction are neuer full: so the eyes of man are neuer satisfied.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

27:20 Hebr. not.

Bshps Hell and destruction are neuer full: euen so the eyes of men can neuer be satisfied.
(Hell and destruction are never full: even so the eyes of men can never be satisfied.)

Gnva The graue and destruction can neuer be full, so the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied.
(The grave and destruction can never be full, so the eyes of man can never be satisfied. )

Cvdl Like as hell & destruccion are neuer full, euen so the eyes of me can neuer be satisfied.
(Like as hell and destruction are never full, even so the eyes of me can never be satisfied.)

Wycl Helle and perdicioun schulen not be fillid; so and the iyen of men moun not be fillid.
(Helle and perdition/destruction/punishment should not be filled; so and the eyes of men may/can not be filled.)

Luth Hölle und Verderbnis werden nimmer voll, und der Menschen Augen sind auch unsättig.
(hell and Verderbnis become never full/whole, and the/of_the people eyes are also unsättig.)

ClVg Infernus et perditio numquam implentur: similiter et oculi hominum insatiabiles.[fn]
(Infernus and destruction never implentur: likewise and eyes of_men insatiabiles. )

27.20 Infernus. Inferni tormenta non replentur, etc., usque ad si naturam haberent sine fine vivendi.

27.20 Infernus. Inferni torture not/no replentur, etc., until to when/but_if nature they_would_have without fine of_living.

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

27:20

This proverb is an implied comparison with the same form as 20:18. The topic is human desires (“the eyes of man”). The illustration is the world of the dead (“Sheol and Abaddon”). The similarity is that they are never satisfied.

^20aSheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

^20bso the eyes of man are never satisfied.

In Hebrew, the phrase “are never satisfied” occurs in both lines. Many English versions, including the BSB, translate it both times. Other versions translate it only once. For example:

Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. (NIV)

27:20a

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied;

¶ Sheol and Abaddon have a hunger/appetite that is never satisfied.
¶ There is no limit/end to people dying and going to the world of the dead.

Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied: The words that the BSB translates here as Sheol and Abaddon are both names in the OT for the world/place of the dead. The name Abaddon comes from a word that means “to perish.” It has the connotation “place of destruction.” For translation options and suggested footnotes for these names, see the notes on 15:11a.

are never satisfied: In this verse, the world/place of the dead is personified as a monster whose appetite for dead people is never satisfied. It is always “hungry” and wants to “swallow” more dead people.The concept of Sheol and Abaddon having an appetite that cannot be satisfied comes from ancient mythology. Waltke (p. 386) cites Ugaritic texts that describe Death as a monster that “endlessly devours his victims.” Whybray (p. 385) also refers to “the mythological notion of Sheol as a monster equipped with a mouth and an appetite.” Other scholars, including UBS, Hubbard, Garrett, and McKane describe the realm of death or the grave in similar ways.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

Keep the personification. For example:
Death and Destruction are never satisfied (NIV)
The place of the dead continually craves more dead people
Change the personification to a simile. Make explicit some of the implied information if necessary. For example:
Sheol and Abaddon are like a monster that never stops swallowing people who die.
It is as if the world/place of the dead is always hungry.
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
People will never stop dying and being destroyed (NCV)
There is always space for more dead people in the world of the dead.

27:20a–b

(combined/reordered)

¶ We^(incl) people always want more and more things. We are like the place where dead people are located. More and more people are always going there.

27:20b

so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

A person’s eyes are the same. They are never satisfied/content.
Similarly, there is no limit/end to what a person desires.

so the eyes of man are never satisfied: The phrase that the BSB translates literally as the eyes of man is a figure of speech. Here it represents the desires that a person has. Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

General Comment on 27:20a–b

Keep the figure of speech. For example:
and a person’s eyes are never satisfied (GW)
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
so human desire is never satisfied (NLT)
and they will never stop wanting more than they have (NCV)

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

Human desires are like the world of the dead—there is always room for more. (GNT)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

שְׁא֣וֹל וַ֭אֲבַדּוֹ

shəʼōl (Some words not found in UHB: shəʼōl and,Abaddon_of not satisfied and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied )

See how you translated this phrase in [15:11](../15/11.md).

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה & לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

not satisfied & not satisfied

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “no one can satisfy … no one can satisfy”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּ֑עְנָה

not satisfied

Here Solomon speaks of Sheol and Abaddon never lacking room for more dead people as if those places were people who are not satisfied with what they already have. He means that people never stop dying. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “never lack space ”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / simile

וְ⁠עֵינֵ֥י הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied

Here, and indicates that Solomon is comparing what follows to what he said in the previous clause. In the same way that Sheol and Abaddon are not satisfied, the eyes of the man are not satisfied. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: “and similarly, the eyes of the man are not satisfied”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

וְ⁠עֵינֵ֥י הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied

Here the eyes refers to desires. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and the desires of the man are not satisfied”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וְ⁠עֵינֵ֥י הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם לֹ֣א תִשְׂבַּֽעְנָה

and,the_eyes_of the=humankind not satisfied

Here Solomon speaks of the man never ceasing to desire as if *his eyes were people who are not satisfied. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “and a man never stops desiring”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

הָ֝⁠אָדָ֗ם

the=humankind

Although the term man is masculine, Solomon is using the word in a generic sense that includes both men and women. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that makes this clear. Alternate translation: “a person” or “any person”

Parallel PROV 27:20

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

27:20

27:20a

27:20a–b

27:20b

General Comment on 27:20a–b