PROV 29:9 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, 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 Ἀνὴρ σοφὸς κρινεῖ ἔθνη, ἀνὴρ δὲ φαῦλος ὀργιζόμενος καταγελᾶται καὶ οὐ καταπτήσσει.
(Anaʸr sofos krinei ethnaʸ, anaʸr de faulos orgizomenos katagelatai kai ou kataptaʸssei. )

BrTr A wise man shall judge nations: but a worthless man being angry laughs and fears not.

ULT A wise man goes to judgment with a foolish man,
⇔  but he rages and he laughs, and there is no rest.

UST If wise people dispute with foolish people,
⇔ the foolish people will become angry and sneer and not resolve anything.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man,
⇔ the fool rages or scoffs, and there is no peace.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If a wise person goes to court with a foolish person,
⇔ there is no peace whether he is angry or laughs.

LSV A wise man is judged by the foolish man,
And he has been angry,
And he has laughed, and there is no rest.

FBV When a wise man takes a stupid man to court, there's raging and ridicule, but nothing is settled.

T4T ⇔ If a wise person sues a foolish person,
⇔ the foolish person merely laughs at him and yells at him and will not be quiet (OR, the dispute will not be resolved).

LEB • If a wise man goes to court with a foolish man, then there is rankling and ridicule,[fn] but there is no relief.

29:? Hebrew “there is ridicule”

BBE If a wise man goes to law with a foolish man, he may be angry or laughing, but there will be no rest.

Moff If a wise man takes a fool into court,
⇔ he gets no peace, whether the fool storms or laughs.

JPS If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.

ASV If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man,
⇔ Whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.

DRA If a wise man contend with a fool, whether he be angry or laugh, he shall find no rest.

YLT A wise man is judged by the foolish man, And he hath been angry, And he hath laughed, and there is no rest.

Drby If a wise man contendeth with a fool, whether he rage or laugh, [he] hath no rest.

RV If a wise man hath a controversy with a foolish man, whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest.
(If a wise man hath/has a controversy with a foolish man, whether he be angry or laugh, there will be no rest. )

SLT A wise man contending with a foolish man and raging and laughing, and no rest.

Wbstr If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rageth or laugheth, there is no rest.

KJB-1769 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.

KJB-1611 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether hee rage or laugh, there is no rest.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps If a wise man contendeth with a foole: whether he be angry or laugh, there is no rest.
(If a wise man contendeth with a fool: whether he be angry or laugh, there is no rest.)

Gnva If a wise man contend with a foolish man, whether he be angry or laugh, there is no rest.

Cvdl Yf a wyse man go to lawe with a foole (whether he deale with him frendly or roughly) he getteth no rest.
(If a wise man go to law with a fool (whether he deal with him friendly or roughly) he getteth no rest.)

Wycl If a wijs man stryueth with a fool; whether he be wrooth, `ether he leiyith, he schal not fynde reste.
(If a wise man striveth with a fool; whether he be wrath, either he leiyith, he shall not find reste.)

Luth Wenn ein Weiser mit einem Narren zu handeln kommt, er zürne oder lache, so hat er nicht Ruhe.
(When a wise_(man) with on fool(n) to/for act/trade(v) comes, he anger or lache, so has he not rest/silence.)

ClVg Vir sapiens si cum stulto contenderit, sive irascatur, sive rideat, non inveniet requiem.[fn]
(Man wise when/but_if when/with stupid contenderit, if/or angercatur, if/or rideat, not/no will_find rest/repose. )

29.9 Vir sapiens. Doctor fidelis et sapiens, etc., usque ad non auditur a stulto.

29.9 Man wise. Doctor faithful and wise, etc., until to not/no hearingr from stupid.

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

29:9

This proverb is about a lawsuit that a wise man brings against a fool. Due to the fool’s angry and insolent response, a peaceful settlement is not possible.

^9aIf a wise man goes to court with a fool,

^9bthere will be raving and laughing with no resolution.

29:9a

If a wise man goes to court with a fool,

If a wise man accuses an insolent fool in court,
If a wise person brings a lawsuit against a fool,

If a wise man goes to court with a fool: In Hebrew, this line is a statement: “A wise man goes to court….” The word If does not occur. If it is more natural in your language to translate this line as a statement, you may do so.

The Hebrew word that the BSB translates as goes to court is literally “goes to judgment.”BART, Hubbard (p. 450). Scholars interpret this word in two ways:

It refers to a legal argument or lawsuit. For example:
When an intelligent person brings a lawsuit against a fool (GNT) (BSB, CEV, GW, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, REB, GNT)
It refers to an argument between individuals. For example:
If a wise man has an argument with a fool (ESV) (ESV, NAB, NASB, NJB, RSV)The Notes have listed any versions that do not specify “court” or “lawsuit” under interpretation (2). But it is quite possible that the NASB rendering “has a controversy” and the NAB “disputes” both refer to legal controversies/disputes.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. The Hebrew word that is used here refers consistently to judgment, justice, and legal cases, not to personal arguments.Waltke (p. 437), Hubbard (p. 450), McKane (p. 636), Ross (p. 1113), Garrett (p. 230), and Toy (p. 509) are among the scholars who support interpretation (1). Cohen (p. 194), Longman (p. 504), and Fox (p. 837) favor the interpretation of a debate or argument. Fox cites four passages that presumably refer to a “private debate.” All refer to a legal or covenant judgment between a prophet, the LORD, and Israel.

fool: This Hebrew word for fool refers to someone who does stupid and wrong things because of his evil character. Here it also implies a person who is insolent. See fool 1 in the Glossary.

29:9a–b

(combined/reordered)

It is useless for a wise person to take a fool to court, because the fool will lose his temper and speak with anger and scorn.

29:9b

there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.

the fool speaks loudly and ridicules his accuser, so the problem remains.
there will be no good result/solution, because the fool will just get angry. He will shout at the wise person and repeatedly insult him.

there will be raving and laughing: In Hebrew, this line begins with “he,” that is, “he rages and laughs.” Scholars interpret the word “he” in two ways:

It refers to the fool. For example:
the fool only rages and laughs (ESV) (CEV, ESV, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, GNT)
It refers to the wise man. For example:
he may rage or laugh but can have no peace (NAB) (NAB, NJB)

Some versions, such as the BSB, are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars. The LXX follows this interpretation. Anger and scoffing do not fit the description of a wise man elsewhere in Proverbs.Waltke (p. 437), Toy (p. 509).

raving and laughing: In Hebrew, the word raving means here that the fool talks angrily and excitedly against the wise man. The word laughing often refers to ordinary laughter, but here it probably refers to laughing in a mocking way.Hubbard (p. 450), Whybray (p. 400), UBS (p. 608). Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

there is ranting and ridicule (NJPS)

the fool only laughs and becomes loud and abusive (GNT)

with no resolution: There are two ways to interpret this clause:

It means that there will be no satisfactory, peaceful, or proper conclusion to the lawsuit. For example:
but no satisfaction (NJPS) (BSB, CEV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NLT, NRSV)The NAB, NCV, NET, and NIV all have the phrase “no quiet.” See the NET footnote (c), which takes “no quiet” to mean “no rest,” and understands the proverb to say that “there will be no possibility of settling the matter in a calm way.” The Notes have assumed that the other versions follow the same reasoning.
It means that there will be no quiet. The fool will just keep talking angrily and laughing. For example:
and there is no quiet (ESV) (ESV, GW, RSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars. It may be true that the fool will not stop talking, but in the context of a lawsuit, a peaceful end to the legal dispute is more relevant. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and the lawsuit will not have a proper ending

and they will leave the court without a satisfactory/peaceful result

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

אִֽישׁ־חָכָ֗ם & אֶת־אִ֣ישׁ אֱוִ֑יל וְ⁠רָגַ֥ז

(a)_man wise & DOM (a)_man fool and,he_rages

A wise man, a foolish man, and he represent types of people in general, not specific people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. See how you translated A wise man in [16:14](../16/14.md). Alternate translation: “Any wise person … with any foolish person, but that foolish person trembles”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

נִ֭שְׁפָּט

goes_to_court

Here, goes to judgment refers to starting a legal dispute with someone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “goes to court” or “begins a lawsuit”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠רָגַ֥ז

and,he_rages

Here, trembles refers to the foolish person gesturing violently because he is angry. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “but he gestures violently”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ֝⁠שָׂחַ֗ק

and,he_laughs

Here, laughs refers to laughing in a mocking manner, not joyful laughter. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: “and laughs mockingly”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠אֵ֣ין נָֽחַת

and,there_[is]_not relief

This could mean: (1) there will be no resolution to the judgment. Alternate translation: “and they will not be able to settle the problem” (2) the foolish person will not be quiet. Alternate translation: “and will not stop doing so”

Parallel PROV 29:9

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

29:9

29:9a

29:9a–b

29:9b