PROV 30:22 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).

ULT under a slave when he becomes king
⇔ and a worthless one when he is satisfied with bread,

UST what slaves do who become rulers,
⇔ what worthless people do when they have plenty of food to eat,

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE For a servant when he is king,
⇔ a fool when he is filled with food,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET under a servant who becomes king,
⇔ under a fool who is stuffed with food,

LSV For a servant when he reigns,
And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,

FBV a slave becoming a king, a stupid person eating like a pig,

T4T What a slave does who becomes a king,
⇔ a foolish person eating too much food,

LEB • under a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when he is satisfied with food;

BBE A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;

Moff a slave who rises to be king,
⇔ a fool who makes a fortune,

JPS For a servant when he reigneth; and a churl when he is filled with food;

ASV For a servant when he is king;
⇔ And a fool when he is filled with food;

DRA By a slave when he reigneth: by a fool when he is filled with meat:

YLT For a servant when he reigneth, And a fool when he is satisfied with bread,

Drby Under a servant when he reigneth, and a churl when he is filled with meat;

RV For a servant when he is king; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

SLT For a servant when he shall reign; and the foolish one when he shall be filled with bread;

Wbstr For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.

KJB-1769 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
(For a servant when he reigneth/reigns; and a fool when he is filled with meat; )

KJB-1611 For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when hee is filled with meate:
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps A seruaunt that beareth rule, a foole that is full fedde,
(A servant that beareth/bears rule, a fool that is full fedde,)

Gnva For a seruant when he reigneth, and a foole when he is filled with meate,
(For a servant when he reigneth/reigns, and a fool when he is filled with meat, )

Cvdl Thorow a seruaut yt beareth rule, thorow a foole yt hath greate riches,
(Through a servant it beareth/bears rule, through a fool it hath/has great riches,)

Wycl bi a seruaunt, whanne he regneth; bi a fool, whanne he is fillid with mete;
(by a servant, when he regneth; by a fool, when he is filled with mete;)

Luth ein Knecht, wenn er König wird; ein Narr, wenn er zu satt ist;
(a servant/farmhand, when he king becomes; a fool(n), when he to/for full/fed_up is;)

ClVg per servum, cum regnaverit; per stultum, cum saturatus fuerit cibo;
(through a_servant, when/with kingdomsverit; through stupidity, when/with saturatus has_been with_food/feed; )

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 30:1–33: Here are the sayings of Agur

This section is a collection of verses that were written or organized by Agur the son of Jakeh.Some scholars think that Agur wrote or collected only verses 1–4, 1–6, 1–9, or 1–14. UBS (page 617), Toy (page 518), and Longman (page 513) are among those who list some of these possibilities. The GNT indicates with quotation marks that Agur’s words end after v.6. No other versions indicate that Agur’s words end before the end of the chapter. Waltke (volume I, page 26) strongly defends the entire chapter as the “oracle” of Agur on the basis of its structural unity. Kidner (page 178) divides the chapter into two sections (1–9) and (10–33), but identifies both as coming from “the sage.” The title of this section (30:1a) is the only place in Scripture that Agur is mentioned. The section is divided into paragraphs that vary from one to five verses. The Notes will suggest a paragraph heading for all paragraphs after 30:1a. It is suggested that you use similar headings in your translation to help the readers follow the changes of topic and audience.

The first nine verses contain Agur’s personal thoughts and prayers. Some are addressed to God, others to his audience. The rest of the chapter contains proverbs on various topics. Some are individual warnings or statements (30:10, 17, 20, 32–33). Others contain several kinds of lists of four items each. The lists in verses 15b–16, 18–19, 21–23, and 29–31 have the same form as the numerical proverb in 6:16–19. (See the paragraph summary for 6:16–19 and the notes on 6:16a–b.) The lists in verses 11–14 and 24–28 have different forms. These will be described in the paragraph summaries where they first occur.

Some other headings for this section are:

The Words of Agur (ESV)

Wise Words from Agur (NCV)

Words that the LORD caused Agur to make known

Paragraph 30:21–23 Four types of people that cannot be tolerated

This is a numerical proverb that has the same form as 30:18–19. The author lists four types of people who unexpectedly experience an improved change in status.Ross (page 1125) says that the four types of people “are suddenly elevated in their status in life.” Longman (page 531) says that the “order and hierarchy” in society “is disturbed.” UBS (page 637) speaks of “people who experience a change in their fortunes.” As a result, their attitude and conduct cannot be tolerated.

30:22–23

The underlined parallel parts identify four types of people who become unbearable due to their change in status. The parts in bold print describe their new status.

^22a a servant who becomes king,

^22b a fool who is full with food,

^23a an unloved woman who marries,

^23band a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

30:22a

a servant who becomes king,

These are a servant who becomes a king,
The first is a slave who becomes a ruler.

a servant who becomes king: In this context, the word servant or “slave” probably refers to someone of low status. It probably does not refer to an official who serves the king.Waltke (page 493) says that a household slave would not be in a position to take over as king, so this person is probably a high official. Toy (page 532) says it could refer to a military officer far below the king. Fox (page 875) categorically declares that the word does not refer here to a high-ranking official. He says that the word “servant/slave” must be modified by the phrase “of the king” in order to refer to an official. Here that is not the case. Longman (page 531) and Hubbard (page 467) both point out that a servant/slave would not have the background to rule as king, so it would fit the context of an intolerable change of status. A high-ranking official or even a competent military officer would probably do a much better job of ruling. If a servant became king, he would not know how to rule well. He would probably also be arrogant because of his new position as king. See the note on “servant” in 30:10a.

30:22b

a fool who is filled with food,

a fool who does not believe in God who prospers and now has plenty to eat,
The second is a rude/shameless fool who previously lacked food and now has all the food that he wants.

a fool who is filled with food: There are two ways to interpret the phrase is filled with food:

It means that the fool has plenty to eat. It implies that he has now become prosperous. For example:
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat (NIV11)
a fool who has all he wants to eat (GNT) (NCV, NIV11, NLT, GNT, NETThe NET translation could be understood to follow either interpretation. However, the NET footnote is clear that their translation intends to refer to prosperity, not just to a fool gorging himself on a single meal.)
It means that the fool eats until he is full or overfull. For example:
a fool gorging himself (REB) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NJPS, NRSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars.Commentaries that support the first interpretation include UBS, Waltke, Longman, Garrett, Ross, Whybray, Toy, Delitzsch, Murphy, and the NET footnote (sn). This interpretation implies a change in social status similar to the long-term changes described in the other three items in the list. Interpretation (2) probably refers to eating too much at a particular meal rather than an actual change in social status.

fool: The Hebrew word nabal, which the BSB translates here as fool, describes a person who is morally foolish. In addition, this kind of fool does not believe in God. He acts in a disgraceful way and has no proper sense of shame. When this kind of person becomes wealthy, it is difficult for other people to tolerate. They expect God to bless people who are wise and industrious, not fools. See fool 3 in the Glossary.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

a foolish person who has plenty to eat (NCV)

a rude/disgraceful fool who gains wealth and has all the food and other things that he needs

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

תַּֽחַת

under

See how you translated under in the previous verse.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

עֶ֭בֶד כִּ֣י יִמְל֑וֹךְ וְ֝⁠נָבָ֗ל כִּ֣י יִֽשְׂבַּֽע

slave that/for/because/then/when becomes_king and,a_fool that/for/because/then/when satisfied

Here, a slave, he, and a worthless one refer 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 slave when that slave becomes king, and any worthless one when that person is satisfied with”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

יִֽשְׂבַּֽע

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: “he gets enough”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

לָֽחֶם

food

See how you translated the same use of bread in [9:5](../09/05.md).

Parallel PROV 30:22

Section 30:1–33: Here are the sayings of Agur

Paragraph 30:21–23 Four types of people that cannot be tolerated

30:22–23

30:22a

30:22b