PROV 29:4 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: 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 Βασιλεὺς δίκαιος ἀνίστησι χώραν, ἀνὴρ δὲ παράνομος κατασκάπτει.
(Basileus dikaios anistaʸsi ⱪōran, anaʸr de paranomos kataskaptei. )

ULT A king by justice causes the land to stand,
⇔ but a man of contributions tears it down.

UST Kings make the people in their land succeed by acting justly,
⇔ but leaders who take money dishonestly ruin the people in their land.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The king by justice makes the land stable,
⇔ but he who takes bribes tears it down.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET A king brings stability to a land by justice,
⇔ but one who exacts tribute tears it down.

LSV A king establishes a land by judgment,
And one receiving gifts throws it down.

FBV A king who rules justly makes the country secure, but one who asks for bribes will destroy it.

T4T ⇔ When a king rules justly/fairly, he causes his nation to be strong,
⇔ but a king who is concerned only with getting more money from the people ruins his nation.

LEB • By justice a king gives stability to a land, but a man of bribes will ruin it.

BBE A king, by right rule, makes the land safe; but one full of desires makes it a waste.

Moff A king will make the country flourish by his justice
⇔ he who extorts money brings it low.

JPS The king by justice establisheth the land; but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

ASV The king by justice establisheth the land;
⇔ But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

DRA A just king setteth up the land: a covetous man shall destroy it.

YLT A king by judgment establisheth a land, And one receiving gifts throweth it down.

Drby A king by just judgment establisheth the land; but he that taketh gifts overthroweth it.

RV The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.
(The king by judgement establisheth the land: but he that exacteth gifts overthroweth/overthrew it. )

SLT A king in judgment shall establish the land: and a man of presents shall overthrow it.

Wbstr The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

KJB-1769 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.[fn]
(The king by judgement establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth/overthrew it. )

29.4 he…: Heb. a man of oblations

KJB-1611 [fn]The king by iudgement stablisheth the land: but he that receiueth gifts, ouerthroweth it.
(The king by judgement stablisheth the land: but he that receives gifts, overthroweth/overthrew it.)

29:4 Heb. a man of oblations.

Bshps With true iudgement the kyng stablissheth the lande: but yf he be a man that oppresse the people with gatherynges, he turneth it vpside downe.
(With true judgement the king stablissheth the land: but if he be a man that oppress the people with gatherynges, he turneth it upside down.)

Gnva A King by iudgement mainteineth ye countrey: but a man receiuing giftes, destroyeth it.
(A King by judgement mainteineth ye/you_all country: but a man receiving gifts, destroyeth it. )

Cvdl With true iudgment ye kynge setteth vp the londe, but yf he be a man yt taketh giftes, he turneth it vpsyde downe.
(With true judgement ye/you_all king setteth up the land, but if he be a man it taketh/takes gifts, he turneth it upsyde down.)

Wycl A iust king reisith the lond; an auerouse man schal distrie it.
(A just king raiseth/raises the land; an avaricious/greedy_for_wealth man shall destroy it.)

Luth Ein König richtet das Land auf durchs Recht; ein Geiziger aber verderbet es.
(A king directed the country on/in/to through law/right; a miser but corrupted it.)

ClVg Rex justus erigit terram; vir avarus destruet eam.
(Rex just raises the_earth/land; man avarus will_destroy her. )

SOTN SIL Open Translation 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

29:4

This proverb contrasts a king who rules his people with justice and a king who treats his people unfairly (underlined parts). The contrasting results (parts in bold print) are a country that becomes strong and a country that is destroyed.

^4a By justice a king brings stability to the land,

^4bbut a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.

29:4a

By justice a king brings stability to the land,

A king who rules with justice keeps his country strong,
If a ruler does what is fair and right, his land/nation will be strong and his people will be safe and prosperous.

By justice a king brings stability to the land: This line means that a king who rules in a fair and honest way will keep his country strong, secure, and prosperous. Some other ways to translate this line are:

If a king is fair, he makes his country strong (NCV)

A king who does what is right will strengthen his country and keep it safe.

29:4b

but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.

But a king who forces people to pay unfair/excessive taxes ruins it.
But if he does what is wrong and makes people pay too much money to the government, his country and its inhabitants will become weak and poor.

but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it: The phrase that the BSB translates as a man who exacts tribute is literally “a man of gifts.”In most verses where this Hebrew word for “gifts” occurs, it refers to contributions that people gave to the temple or for other religious purposes. Here the context requires a meaning such as unjust contributions that the king required people to make to the government (TWOT #2133i, Waltke, p. 433). There are three ways to interpret this phrase. It refers to:

a man who forces people to pay overly high taxes. For example:
one who exacts tribute (NET) (BSB, NAB, NET, NRSV)
a man who receives or demands bribes. For example:
one who demands bribes (NLT) (CEV, ESV, KJV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NLT)
a man who gets money by force, threats, or other unfair methods. For example:
an extortioner (NJB) (NJB, REB)

All three interpretations refer to a ruler who unfairly forces people to pay him money. More scholars favor interpretation (1). More versions follow interpretation (2).

If you have an expression in your language that can refer to all three interpretations, you should use it here. Otherwise, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The reason is that a king who oppresses his people and makes them pay unfair taxes is more likely to ruin the prosperity of his country than a king who takes bribes.One scholar who makes this point is Ross (p. 1112). Other scholars who say that excessive taxation is more likely than bribery include Whybray, Longman, Hubbard, Delitzsch, and McKane.

However, it is recommended that you add a footnote about interpretation (2), since many versions follow it. A suggested footnote is:

In the Hebrew language, the last part of this verse may also refer to a ruler who forces people to pay bribes.

demolishes it: A king who oppresses his people with high taxes ruins the economic strength of the country and the prosperity of the people. Other ways to translate this are:

ruins it (NRSV)

causes his people to be weak and poor

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

מֶ֗לֶךְ & וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת

king & and,a_person_of bribes

A king and a man of contributions refer to a types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: “Any king is one who scatters … but any man of contributions”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּ֭⁠מִשְׁפָּט

by,justice

See how you translated the abstract noun justice in [1:3](../01/03.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

אָ֑רֶץ & יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽ⁠נָּה

land & he,breaks_it_down

Here, land and it refer to the people who live in a land. See how you translated the same use of these words in [28:2](../28/02.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יַעֲמִ֣יד אָ֑רֶץ

gives_stability land

Here Solomon refers to the people of the land being successful as if they would continue to stand. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “causes the land to be successful”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ תְּרוּמ֣וֹת

and,a_person_of bribes

This could refer to: (1) someone who demands bribes. Alternate translation: “but a man who demands bribes” (2) a ruler who demands excessive taxes from the people he rules over. Alternate translation: “but a man who demands tribute” or “but a man who extorts his land”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠אִ֖ישׁ

and,a_person_of

The parallelism between the two clauses in this verse indicates that the phrase a man here refers to a king or leader in general. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “but a ruler of”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

יֶֽהֶרְסֶֽ⁠נָּה

he,breaks_it_down

Here Solomon refers to the people of the land failing as if someone tears them down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “causes the land to fail”

Parallel PROV 29:4

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

29:4

29:4a

29:4b