PROV 8:16 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences 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 Διʼ ἐμοῦ μεγιστᾶνες μεγαλύνονται, καὶ τύραννοι διʼ ἐμοῦ κρατοῦσι γῆς.
(Diʼ emou megistanes megalunontai, kai turannoi diʼ emou kratousi gaʸs. )

UST I enable princes and nobles to govern well.
⇔ I enable every royal official who judges righteously to do so.

8:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX who govern the earth

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE By me princes rule,
⇔ nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET by me princes rule,
⇔ as well as nobles and all righteous judges.

LSV By me chiefs rule, and nobles,
All judges of earth.

FBV It's because of me that leaders and nobles govern—all who rule justly.

T4T Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom,
⇔ and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.

LEB • By me rulers rule, and nobles—all judges of righteousness.

BBE Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.

Moff by me that great men govern,
⇔ and magnates rule the earth.

JPS By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

ASV By me princes rule,
⇔ And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

DRA By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

YLT By me do chiefs rule, and nobles, All judges of the earth.

Drby by me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.

RV By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

SLT By me chiefs shall have dominion, and nobles all judging the earth.

Wbstr By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

KJB-1769 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

KJB-1611 By me Princes rule, and Nobles, euen all the Iudges of the earth.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation)

Bshps By me princes beare rule, and noble men do iudge the earth.
(By me princes bear rule, and noble men do judge the earth.)

Gnva By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the iudges of the earth.
(By me princes rule and the nobles, and all the judges of the earth. )

Cvdl Thorow me, lordes beare rule, and all iudges of ye earth execute iudgmet.
(Through me, lords bear rule, and all judges of ye/you_all earth execute judgement.)

Wycl Princis comaunden bi me; and myyti men demen riytfulnesse bi me.
(Princis comaunden by me; and mighty men demen rightfulness/righteousness by me.)

Luth Durch mich herrschen die Fürsten und alle Regenten auf Erden.
(Durch me reign/prevail the prince(s)/ruler(s) and all kings on/in/to earth/land/ground.)

ClVg per me principes imperant, et potentes decernunt justitiam.
(through me leaders imperant, and powerful decernunt justice. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–36: Wisdom calls out to people and reminds them of the benefits of being wise

In contrast to the previous section describing the adulterous woman, this section describes personified Wisdom. The public setting for Wisdom’s speech is described in 8:1–3. In 8:4–11, she addresses all mankind and describes her own character. In 8:12–21, she provides reasons why people should choose her. Additional motivation is given in 8:22–31: Wisdom was with the LORD when he created the world. The section ends with Wisdom appealing to mankind to follow her teaching (8:32–36).

This section is a speech by personified Wisdom. As in Wisdom’s speech in 1:20–33, the Notes have used a capital letter for Wisdom in most verses. However, in her speech, Wisdom sometimes refers to “wisdom” as an ability that people have or use or should try to obtain. In some of these contexts, the Notes have used small letters for “wisdom.” The Display will often give more than one option. You may use either option in your language, depending on what is appropriate in each context.

Some other headings for this section are:

Wisdom’s Call (NIV)

Listen to Wisdom (NCV)

The good qualities of Wisdom

Wisdom’s second invitation to people

Paragraph 8:12–21

After again identifying herself and the qualities that she is associated with (12–13), Wisdom describes why people should choose her. They should choose her because she is the basis of an orderly society (14–16). She is also the source of wealth and other benefits to those who seek and find her (17–21).

8:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning.

^16aBy me princes rule,

^16band all nobles who govern justly.

There is an ellipsis in 8:16b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words. For example:

^16band by me all nobles who govern justly rule.

8:16a

By me princes rule,

It is also through me that those in authority govern/rule their people.

By me princes rule: The word princes refers to anyone who belongs to the ruling class. It does not refer specifically to the sons of kings. For example:

Rulers lead with my help (NLT)

8:16a–b

(combined/reordered)

It is also through me that government officials and all those with high rank rule/govern in a just/fair manner.

8:16b

and all nobles who govern justly.

This includes those of the ruling class and all those who govern rightly/fairly.

and all nobles who govern justly: There is a textual issue here:There are actually more than two textual differences. The REB follows a different Hebrew text. The Notes have condensed the varieties into two main differences: “judges of righteousness” versus “judges of the earth.”

Some Hebrew manuscripts have: “nobles, all judges of righteousness.” For example:
and nobles, all who govern rightly (NRSV) (BSB, NRSV, NASB, ESV, NJB, NCV, NLT, CEV, NJPS, NET)
Other Hebrew manuscripts and the LXX have: “nobles, all judges of the earth.” For example:
and nobles govern the earth (RSV) (RSV, NIV, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because it is more likely to have been the original text. Also it better fits the parallel idea of 8:15b.Textual option (1) is the one in the printed editions of the Masoretic Text. It is recommended by the UBS HOTTP (Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). It is the more difficult or unexpected reading, since the phrase “judges of the earth” occurs elsewhere (e.g., Psalm 2:10, 148:11, Isaiah 40:23). Scribes were thus more likely to have changed an original “judges of righteousness” to “judges of the earth.” Scholars who support option (1) include: McKane, Murphy, NET, and Garrett. Scholars who support option (2) include: Fox, Delitzsch, Hubbard, Toy, and Scott. Whybray says the two alternatives are equally balanced. As a practical translation issue, the content of text (2) would also be implied in text (1), since the “judges of righteousness” are on the earth.

nobles: The word nobles refers to a man who belongs to the ruling class.

who govern justly: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “all judges of righteousness.” It refers here to any government leader who governs or rules in a just or fair manner.The NJB translates this as “the lawful authorities.” This translation (presumably following Dahood’s rendering “all legitimate rulers”) is supported by Garrett (pages 107–108) and McKane (page 348), based on the fact that ṣedeq can mean “legitimacy” in Ugaritic and Phoenician. The normal meaning of the root in Hebrew “just/righteous” makes good sense. It is a well-established fact that cognates in related languages often differ in sense. It does not refer specifically to someone who presides over a law court. Another way to translate this phrase is:

so do all important people who judge fairly (NCV)

General Comment on 8:15–16

The four lines of these two verses are all parallel. In some languages, there may not be four different words for different kinds of rulers, so it may be more natural to combine these verses. For example:

^15–16It is by means of me that kings and other leaders rule their countries and make good/just laws.

^15–16I am the one that helps kings and all other leaders in the government to rule their countries/people well and to make laws that are good/just.

The parallel parts of each verse may also be combined and/or reordered. See the Display for 8:15a–b (combined/reordered) and 8:16a–b (combined/reordered).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וּ֝⁠נְדִיבִ֗ים

and,noble_[people]

Wisdom, the speaker, is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a clause would need in order to be complete. You could supply these words from the previous clause if it would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “and by me nobles rule” or “and by what is wise, nobles rule”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

כָּל־שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק

all/each/any/every judges_of rightly

This phrase applies to princes and nobles and anyone else who rules by wisdom. It distinguishes all of these judges of righteousness from those who do not rule by wisdom and are not righteous. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make the relationship between these phrases more clear. Alternate translation: “that is, all of them who are judges of righteousness”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

שֹׁ֥פְטֵי צֶֽדֶק

judges_of rightly

Here, Wisdom is using the possessive form to describe judges who are characterized by righteousness. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “righteous judges”