PROV 29:5 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 Ὃς παρασκευάζεται ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ φιλου δίκτυον, περιβάλλει αὐτὸ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ποσίν.
(Hos paraskeuazetai epi prosōpon tou heautou filou diktuon, periballei auto tois heautou posin. )

BrTr He that prepares a net in the way of his own friend, entangles his own feet in it.

ULT A man who makes smooth for his neighbor
⇔ spreads out a net for his steps.

UST People who flatter others
⇔ are really just preparing to exploit them in some way

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE A man who flatters his neighbour
⇔ spreads a net for his feet.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The one who flatters his neighbor
⇔ spreads a net for his steps.

LSV A man taking a portion above his neighbor,
Spreads a net for his own steps.

FBV Those who flatter their friends lay a net to trip them up.[fn]

29:5 “Trip them up”: literally, “for their feet.”

T4T ⇔ Those who ◄flatter others/say nice things to others merely to cause them to feel good► are really setting a trap for them (OR, for themselves) [SYN].

LEB • A strong man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

BBE A man who says smooth things to his neighbour is stretching out a net for his steps.

Moff A man who flatters his fellow
⇔ is spreading a net to trip him up.

JPS A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.

ASV A man that flattereth his neighbor
⇔ Spreadeth a net for his steps.

DRA A man that speaketh to his friend with flattering and dissembling words, spreadeth a net for his feet.

YLT A man taking a portion above his neighbour, Spreadeth a net for his own steps.

Drby A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.

RV A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps.
(A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth/spreads a net for his steps. )

SLT A man making smooth against his neighbor spreads a net for his steps.

Wbstr A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet.

KJB-1769 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
(A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth/spreads a net for his feet. )

KJB-1611 A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his feet.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Who so flattereth his neighbour, layeth a net for his feete.
(Whoso/Whoever flattereth his neighbour, layeth/lays a net for his feet.)

Gnva A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth a net for his steps.
(A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreadeth/spreads a net for his steps. )

Cvdl Who so flatreth his neghbor, layeth a nette for his fete.
(Whoso/Whoever flatreth his neghbor, layeth/lays a net for his feet.)

Wycl A man that spekith bi flaterynge and feyned wordis to his frend; spredith abrood a net to hise steppis.
(A man that speaketh/speaks by flatering and feyned words to his friend; spredith abroad a net to his steps.)

Luth Wer mit seinem Nächsten heuchelt, der breitet ein Netz zu seinen Fußtapfen.
(Who with his neighbour hypocritical, the/of_the spreads a net to/for his footsteps.)

ClVg Homo qui blandis fictisque sermonibus loquitur amico suo rete expandit gressibus ejus.
(Man who/which blandis fictisque conversations speaks friend his_own rete spreads gressibus his. )

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

29:5–6

The next two proverbs are related by the similar metaphors of a “net” and a “snare.” The first proverb describes the specific sin of flattery and the way it catches the listener in a net. The second proverb describes a habitual wrongdoer and the way his own sin catches him in a snare.

29:5

This proverb is about the way that flattery deceives people. The first line is the topic of a metaphor. The second line is the illustration.

^5aA man who flatters his neighbor

^5bspreads a net for his feet.

29:5a

A man who flatters his neighbor

A person who flatters his fellow man
If you^(sing) insincerely/falsely praise your companions,
A person who uses flattery when he speaks to other people

A man who flatters his neighbor: A person who flatters his neighbor praises him insincerely.

neighbor: In Hebrew, this word can refer to anyone with whom a person interacts. It can include a close friend or someone who is only an acquaintance. It is not limited to a person who lives nearby.

29:5b

spreads a net for his feet.

is spreading a hunter’s net that will tangle/trap his feet when he steps on it.
you^(sing) are like a hunter who sets a snare/trap to catch a bird or animal.
wants to trick them and get them into trouble. He is like a hunter that uses a net/trap to catch a bird/animal.

spreads a net for his feet: This phrase refers to a net that was made of cords woven together to trap birds or small animals. If a hunter wanted to trap birds, he would spread the net on the ground and bait it with grain. If he wanted to trap small animals, he would spread the net over a pit in the ground. When an animal fell into the pit, its feet would be trapped in the net.TWOT #920c.

If nets are not used in your culture for catching birds or small animals, you may translate this word with a similar word such as “snare” or “trap.” In Hebrew, this word for “net” also occurs in Proverbs 1:17.

his feet: There are two ways to interpret the words his feet:

They refer to the feet of the neighbor. For example:
Whoever flatters a neighbor is spreading a net for the neighbor’s feet. (NRSV) (GW, NCV, NLT, NRSV, REB)
They refer to the flatterer’s own feet. For example:
If you flatter your friends, you set a trap for yourself. (GNT) (GNT)

Many versions, including the BSB, are ambiguous. They allow for either interpretation. If you can translate in a similar way, you may do so. If you need to choose one interpretation, it is recommended that you choose interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars who make a choice.

In this metaphor, a person who flatters his neighbor is compared to a hunter who spreads a net to catch a bird or animal. The flatterer tricks the neighbor into doing something that will get him into trouble or danger. Similarly, the hunter tricks the bird or animal so that it cannot escape.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Keep the metaphor. For example:
A person who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for him to step into. (GW)
Those who give false praise to their neighbors are setting a trap for them. (NCV)
Change the metaphor to a simile. Make one or more of the similarities explicit if necessary. For example:
A person who uses flattery to trick his neighbor is like a hunter who spreads a net to tangle/trap the feet of a bird.
Translate the non-figurative meaning. For example:
If someone praises a neighbor insincerely, he intends to deceive the neighbor in order to get him into trouble.

If you use the last option, consider using a figure of speech along with the non-figurative meaning to create a more vivid picture in the mind of the reader. See the last meaning line in the Display for an example.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

גֶּ֭בֶר & רֵעֵ֑⁠הוּ & פְּעָמָֽי⁠ו

man & his/its=neighbour & footsteps_of,his

A man and his refer to 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 person … that person’s neighbor … that person’s feet”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַחֲלִ֣יק עַל־רֵעֵ֑⁠הוּ

flatters on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in his/its=neighbour

Here Solomon writes of someone speaking flatteringly as if that person were making their speech smooth. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “who flatters his neighbor”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רֶ֝֗שֶׁת פּוֹרֵ֥שׂ עַל־פְּעָמָֽי⁠ו

net spreading on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in footsteps_of,his

Here Solomon refers to deceiving a person as if someone spreads out a net in order to trap their neighbor by his feet. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: “deceives that person” or “is like someone who spreads out a net to catch his neighbor”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

פְּעָמָֽי⁠ו

footsteps_of,his

Here, feet refers to the whole person. See how you translated the same use of feet in [7:11](../07/11.md).

Parallel PROV 29:5

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

29:5–6

29:5

29:5a

29:5b