PROV 8:24 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.)

OET (OET-RV) I was revealed before the deep oceans existed,
⇔ when there weren’t yet any springs gushing water.

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 καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τὰς ἀβύσσους ποιῆσαι, πρὸ τοῦ προελθεῖν τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων·
(kai pro tou tas abussous poiaʸsai, pro tou proelthein tas paʸgas tōn hudatōn; )

ULT When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,
⇔ when there were no springs heavy[fn] with water.

Instead of heavy, some versions read the Hebrew word as overflowing.

UST Yahweh revealed me before the oceans existed
⇔ and before there were springs abounding with water.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE When there were no depths, I was born,
⇔ when there were no springs abounding with water.

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(22-31)“God sovereignly made me—the first, the basic—
  before he did anything else.
I was brought into being a long time ago,
  well before Earth got its start.
I arrived on the scene before Ocean,
  yes, even before Springs and Rivers and Lakes.
Before Mountains were sculpted and Hills took shape,
  I was already there, newborn;
Long before God stretched out Earth’s Horizons,
  and tended to the minute details of Soil and Weather,
And set Sky firmly in place,
  I was there.
When he mapped and gave borders to wild Ocean,
  built the vast vault of Heaven,
  and installed the fountains that fed Ocean,
When he drew a boundary for Sea,
  posted a sign that said no trespassing,
And then staked out Earth’s Foundations,
  I was right there with him, making sure everything fit.
Day after day I was there, with my joyful applause,
  always enjoying his company,
Delighted with the world of things and creatures,
  happily celebrating the human family.

NET When there were no deep oceans I was born,
⇔ when there were no springs overflowing with water;

LSV In there being no depths, I was brought forth,
In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,

FBV I was born when there were no ocean depths, when there were no springs pouring out water.

T4T I was born before the oceans were created,
⇔ when there were no springs from which water flowed.

LEB • When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs of abounding[fn] water.

8:? Literally “made heavy”

BBE When there was no deep I was given birth, when there were no fountains flowing with water.

Moff I was born when there were no abysses,
⇔ when there were no fountains full of water;

JPS When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

ASV When there were no depths, I was brought forth,
⇔ When there were no fountains abounding with water.

DRA The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:

YLT In there being no depths, I was brought forth, In there being no fountains heavy [with] waters,

Drby When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water.

RV When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

SLT In no depths was I begun; in no fountains abundant in waters.

Wbstr When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

KJB-1769 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

KJB-1611 When there were no depthes, I was brought forth: when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps When I was borne there were neither depthes nor springes of water.
(When I was born there were neither depths nor springs of water.)

Gnva When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountaines abounding with water.
(When there were no depths, was I begotten, when there were no fountains abounding with water. )

Cvdl When I was borne, there were nether depthes ner springes of water.
(When I was born, there were neither depths nor springs of water.)

Wycl Depthis of watris weren not yit; and Y was conseyued thanne. The wellis of watris hadden not brokun out yit,
(Depthis of waters were not yit; and I was conceived thanne. The wells of waters had not broken out yet,)

Luth Da die Tiefen noch nicht waren, da war ich schon bereitet, da die Brunnen noch nicht mit Wasser quollen,
(So the depths still not were, there what/which I already prepared, there the spring(n) still not with water quollen,)

ClVg Nondum erant abyssi, et ego jam concepta eram: necdum fontes aquarum eruperant,
(Nondum they_were the_abyss, and I already concepta eram: not_yet sources/springs of_waters eruperant, )

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 8:22–31

In this paragraph, Wisdom gives additional reasons why people should choose her. The LORD created Wisdom before anything else (8:22–26), and she was present with the LORD when he created the world (8:27–29). She also delighted in what the LORD created (8:30–31).

8:24

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^24a When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

^24b when no springs were overflowing with water.

8:24a–b

(combined/reordered)

He gave birth to me before there were any oceans or springs gushing with water.
He brought me into existence when there were still no oceans or springs with lots of water.

When there were no watery depths…when no springs were overflowing with water: These clauses both specify the time when Wisdom was given birth. It was when there were still no watery depths (literally, “depths,” as in the NRSV) or springs. In other words, it was before “oceans” and “springs” were created. The springs are described as overflowing with water. Choose an expression in your language that refers to plentiful or abundant water.

8:24a

When there were no watery depths, I was brought forth,

He caused me to exist before he created the oceans.

I was brought forth: This clause is a figurative way to indicate that the LORD brought Wisdom into existence. Many English versions, such as the NJB, translate this as:

I was born (NJB)

The same verb is repeated in 8:25 for the sake of emphasis. You are encouraged to use the same expression in both verses if such repetition will also convey emphasis in your language.

The clause I was brought forth is passive. If stative or passive clauses are not natural in your language, you may need to use an active clause. For example:

the LORD gave birth to me

In languages where such an expression would be understood as some kind of literal birth, it may be clearer to translate this as:

the LORD created me

the LORD caused me to exist

General Comment on 8:24a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. See the Display for 8:24a–b (combined/reordered).

8:24b

when no springs were overflowing with water.

When he had not yet made springs that do not dry up, he caused me to appear.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

בְּ⁠אֵין־תְּהֹמ֥וֹת חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי בְּ⁠אֵ֥ין מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם

when,there_[were]_not depths brought_forth when,there_[were]_not springs abounding_with_of water

If it would be helpful in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: “I was brought forth when there were no watery depths and when there were no springs heavy with water”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי

brought_forth

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. The context implies that Yahweh did the action. Alternate translation: “Yahweh brought me forth”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

חוֹלָ֑לְתִּי

brought_forth

Here, Wisdom continues to speak as a person who was brought forth, which is a dramatic way to say “born.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “I came into existence”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת נִכְבַּדֵּי־מָֽיִם

springs abounding_with_of water

Here, Wisdom speaks of springs being full of water that flows out as if they were heavy with water. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “springs full of flowing water”