PROV 27:6 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) Wounds from a friend are faithful,
⇔ ^ but kisses from an enemy are confusing.

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 Ἀξιοπιστότερά ἐστι τραύματα φίλου, ἢ ἑκούσια φιλήματα ἐχθροῦ.
(Axiopistotera esti traumata filou, aʸ hekousia filaʸmata eⱪthrou. )

BrTr The wounds of a friend are more to be trusted than the spontaneous kisses of an enemy.

ULT Faithful are the wounds of one loving,
⇔ but deceptive are the kisses of one hating.

UST Friends will be faithful to you by criticizing you when necessary,
⇔ but enemies will deceive you by acting affectionately toward you.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The wounds of a friend are faithful,
⇔ although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
⇔ but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.

LSV The wounds of a lover are faithful,
And the kisses of an enemy [are] abundant.

FBV A friend's honest comments may hurt you, but an enemy's kisses are over the top.

T4T ⇔ If a friend criticizes you, he is a good friend and you can trust him;
⇔ but if one of your enemies kisses you, he is probably wanting to deceive you.

LEB • The wounds of a friend mean well, but the kisses of an enemy are profane.

BBE The wounds of a friend are given in good faith, but the kisses of a hater are false.

Moff Wounds from a friend are honest,
⇔ but an enemy’s kisses are false.
¶ 

JPS Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are importunate.

ASV Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
⇔ But the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

DRA Better are the wounds of a friend, than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.

YLT Faithful are the wounds of a lover, And abundant the kisses of an enemy.

Drby Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

RV Faithful are the wounds of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are profuse.

SLT Faithful the wounds of a friend; and abundant the kisses of an enemy.

Wbstr Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

KJB-1769 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.[fn]

27.6 deceitful: or, earnest, or, frequent

KJB-1611 [fn]Faithfull are the woundes of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are deceitfull.
(Faithfull are the wounds of a friend: but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.)

27:6 Or, earnest, or frequent.

Bshps Faythfull are the woundes of a louer: but the kysses of an enemie are cruell.
(Faythfull are the wounds of a lover: but the kysses of an enemy are cruel.)

Gnva The wounds of a louer are faithful, and the kisses of an enemie are pleasant.
(The wounds of a lover are faithful, and the kisses of an enemy are pleasant. )

Cvdl Faithfull are the woundes of a louer, but ye kysses of an enemie are disceatfull.
(Faithfull are the wounds of a lover, but ye/you_all kysses of an enemy are disceatfull.)

Wycl Betere ben the woundis of hym that loueth, than the gileful cossis of hym that hatith.
(Better been the wounds of him that loveth/loves, than the guileful cossis of him that hateth/hates.)

Luth Die Schläge des Liebhabers meinen‘s recht gut; aber das Küssen des Hassers ist ein Gewäsch.
(The blows(n) the Liebhabers myn‘s right good; but the Küssen the haters is a Gewäsch.)

ClVg Meliora sunt vulnera diligentis quam fraudulenta oscula odientis.
(Bettera are vulnera diligentis how fraudulenta oscula odientis. )

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

Paragraph 27:5–6

These two verses are related by the theme that a true friend is willing to rebuke the one he loves. Both verses also contain one or more unexpected comparisons.

27:6

The NRSV has been used as the source line for 27:6b, because it follows the recommended interpretation. Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

^6aThe wounds of a friend are faithful, (BSB)

^6bbut profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (NRSV)

This proverb compares wounds to kisses. Normally, people expect to be wounded by an enemy, and enemies cannot be trusted. People also expect to be kissed by friends who love them. This proverb teaches the unexpected truth that when wounds are caused by a friend, the wounded person can trust that they are based on sincere good intentions. When an enemy offers many kisses, the context implies that his kisses are insincere.

27:6a

The wounds of a friend are faithful,

The words of a friend may cause you^(sing) pain, but you trust him.
When a friend criticizes/rebukes you and hurts your feelings, you know that he speaks sincerely.

The wounds of a friend are faithful: The phrase wounds of a friend should be understood figuratively here. It refers to emotional wounds, that is, painful feelings. In the context of 27:5, it is implied that these painful feelings are caused by a friend’s frank criticism or rebuke. It may be helpful to make this implied information explicit. It may also be more natural to describe the friend (rather than the wounds) as faithful/trustworthy. For example:

Wounds inflicted by the correction of a friend prove he is faithful (VOICE)

In many languages, a literal translation of wounds or “blows” (as in the REB) would incorrectly refer to physical injuries. Some other ways to translate this line are:

Friends mean well, even when they hurt you. (GNT)

You can trust a friend who corrects you (CEV)

27:6b

but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

In contrast, an enemy repeatedly kisses you^(sing), but he is not truly your friend.
but when an enemy shows you excessive affection/love, be careful. His friendship is not sincere.

(NRSV) but profuse are the kisses of an enemy: There are complex textual and interpretation issues here. They involve the word that the NRSV translates as profuse. The Notes will summarize only the main issues:

The Masoretic Text has a word that means “profuse” or “many.” For example:
profuse are the kisses of an enemy (NRSV) (ESV, GW, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)
Some scholars think that the original text was a word that means “deceitful.” For example:
deceitful are kisses from a foe (NJB) (BSB, CEV, NASB, NCV, NJB, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with many versions and scholars.For more details of the three or more possible meanings of the Hebrew text as well as other textual options that have been proposed, see Waltke (p. 367), McKane (pp. 610–611), and Delitzsch (p. 399). The word “deceitful” provides a more exact contrast with the word “faithful” in 27:6a, but that is not enough reason to propose a different Hebrew text. Inexact contrasts are common in Proverbs.

(NRSV) profuse are the kisses: If a person’s enemy kisses him many times, it implies that the kisses are excessive and insincere. For example:

but the kisses of an enemy are excessive (NET)

(NRSV) kisses: In the ancient Near East, kisses were a common sign of affection between friends as well as lovers.For an example of kissing someone (probably on the lips) as a romantic or sexual gesture, see Proverbs 7:13, which describes a prostitute kissing the young man. If it is not culturally appropriate in your area for a person to kiss someone else as a sign of respectful friendship, you may use a gesture that has a similar function in your culture.The GNT uses a culturally appropriate sign of friendship (“when an enemy puts his arm around your shoulder”), but it does not translate the meaning of “many/profuse.” For example:

shakes hands repeatedly

If you use this option, it is recommended that you add a footnote that gives the literal meaning. A suggested footnote is:

In Hebrew, what is written here is “the kisses of an enemy are many.” It was common in that culture for two people to kiss one another on the cheek as a sign of friendship.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

נֶ֭אֱמָנִים פִּצְעֵ֣י אוֹהֵ֑ב

faithful wounds_of friend

Here Solomon speaks of the faithfulness of the one who loves as if the wounds he causes were a Faithful person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The wounds of one who loves show his faithfulness” or “The wounds of one who loves show how faithful he is”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

פִּצְעֵ֣י אוֹהֵ֑ב

wounds_of friend

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe wounds that are caused by one who loves. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “are the wounds caused by one who loves”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

פִּצְעֵ֣י אוֹהֵ֑ב

wounds_of friend

Here Solomon speaks of the sadness that a person feels when one who loves rebukes that person as if it were wounds. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “is the sadness caused by one who loves and rebukes”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וְ֝⁠נַעְתָּר֗וֹת נְשִׁיק֥וֹת שׂוֹנֵֽא

and_[are],abundant kisses_of enemy

Here Solomon speaks of the deceptiveness of the one who hates as if the kisses he gives were a deceptive person. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “but the kisses of one who hates show his deceptiveness” or “but the kisses of one who hates show how deceptive he is”

Note 5 topic: translate-textvariants

וְ֝⁠נַעְתָּר֗וֹת

and_[are],abundant

The word translated as deceptive can also mean “excessive.” 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.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

נְשִׁיק֥וֹת שׂוֹנֵֽא

kisses_of enemy

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe kisses that are given by one who hates. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “are the kisses given by one who hates”

Note 7 topic: translate-symaction

נְשִׁיק֥וֹת

kisses_of

Here, kisses is a symbolic action to show true friendship and loyalty. See how you translated the same use of the word in [24:26](../24/26.md).

Parallel PROV 27:6

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

Paragraph 27:5–6

27:6

27:6a

27:6b