PROV 8:6 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 Εἰσακούσατέ μου, σεμνὰ γὰρ ἐρῶ, καὶ ἀνοίσω ἀπὸ χειλέων ὀρθά.
(Eisakousate mou, semna gar erō, kai anoisō apo ⱪeileōn ortha. )

BrTr Hearken to me; for I will speak solemn truths; and will produce right sayings from my lips.

ULT Listen, for noble things I will speak,
⇔ and the opening of my lips will be upright things.

UST Listen to what I say, because I will tell you some excellent things.
⇔ I will speak to you about what is right.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE Hear, for I will speak excellent things.
⇔ The opening of my lips is for right things.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Listen, for I will speak excellent things,
⇔ and my lips will utter what is right.

LSV Listen, for I speak noble things,
And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.

FBV Listen to me because I have valuable things to explain to you.

T4T Listen to me, because I have some excellent/important things to say.
⇔ What I say is what is fair/right.

LEB • Listen! For noble things I will speak, and upright things from the opening of my lips.

BBE Give ear, for my words are true, and my lips are open to give out what is upright.

Moff Listen, for I have a weighty message,
⇔ my lips open with right words,

JPS Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

ASV Hear, for I will speak excellent things;
⇔ And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

DRA Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

YLT Hearken, for noble things I speak, And the opening of my lips [is] uprightness.

Drby Hear, for I will speak excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

RV Hear, for I will speak excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

SLT Hear ye, for I will speak dear things; and the openings of my lips uprightnesses.

Wbstr Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

KJB-1769 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

KJB-1611 Heare, for I will speake of excellent things: and the opening of my lippes shalbe right things.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Geue eare, for I wyll speake of great matters, and open my lippes to tell thinges that be right:
(Give ear, for I will speak of great matters, and open my lips to tell things that be right:)

Gnva Giue eare, for I will speake of excellent things, and the opening of my lippes, shall teache things that be right.
(Give ear, for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips, shall teach things that be right. )

Cvdl Geue eare, for I wil speake of greate matters, & open my lippes to tell thinges that be right.
(Give ear, for I will speak of great matters, and open my lips to tell things that be right.)

Wycl Here ye, for Y schal speke of grete thingis; and my lippis schulen be openyd, to preche riytful thingis.
(Here ye/you_all, for I shall speak of great things; and my lips should be opened, to preach rightful things.)

Luth Höret, denn ich will reden, was fürstlich ist, und lehren, was recht ist.
(Hear, because/than I will talk, what/which fürstlich is, and teach, what/which right is.)

ClVg Audite, quoniam de rebus magnis locutura sum, et aperientur labia mea ut recta prædicent.
(Listen, since/because from/about things magnis locutura I_am, and aperientur lips my as straight beforedicent. )

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Speaking

As children we probably heard, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Scripture presents another viewpoint: Words have the power of life and death (18:21). The words contained in lies (14:5, 25), arguments (26:17), insults (20:20), slander (10:18), gossip (11:13), rumors (18:8), flattery (7:21-22), and bragging (26:23; 27:2) can all be death-dealing.

Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes that foolish people speak foolish words. They are represented by “the woman named Folly” (9:13-18), who lies and deceives to harm her hearers. Words reflect the condition of the heart (16:23; 18:4). While someone might conceal an evil heart by using pleasant words (26:23), a person’s true character will eventually surface (26:24-26). The words of fools not only harm others; these words ultimately injure those who speak them. The tongue is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life (Jas 3:6).

In contrast, wise people speak the life-giving words represented by Wisdom (Prov 8:7-9; 10:11). Wise people use their words sparingly (17:27-28) and are usually gentle (15:4; 16:24). However, a wise person also knows the right time to speak (15:23; 25:11) and realizes that, at times, even harsh criticism is necessary (see 27:5). Proverbs wisely reminds its readers to pay close attention not only to what they say but also to how and when they say it.

Passages for Further Study

Prov 7:21-22; 8:7-9; 9:13-18; 10:11, 18; 11:13; 14:5, 25; 15:4, 23; 16:23-24; 17:28; 18:4, 21; 20:20; 25:11; 26:17, 23-26; 27:2, 5; Matt 12:33-37; Jas 3:1-12

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 8:4–11

In this paragraph, personified Wisdom invites all mankind to become shrewd and intelligent (4–5). She then describes the good qualities of her words as motivation to heed her invitation (6–9). She ends with another appeal that is based on her high value (10–11).

8:6–9

In these four verses, Wisdom’s words are described with a series of expressions that largely overlap in meaning. The notes will try to explain any similarities and differences so that you can look for words or expressions in your language that cover a similar range of meaning. Other languages may use more terms or fewer terms than Hebrew or English.

8:6

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6aListen, for I speak of noble things,

^6b and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

8:6a

Listen, for I speak of noble things,

Listen^(plur) to me, because what I say is important/worthwhile.

Listen, for I speak of noble things: In this verse, Wisdom gives the first reason why people should listen to her words. It’s because what she says is noble. Other ways to translate this word are:

worthy (NIV)

excellent (GNT)

worthwhile (CEV)

important

8:6a–b

(combined/reordered)

Listen^(plur), because everything I say is important/worthwhile and honest/fair.

8:6b

and the opening of my lips will reveal right.

All the words that come from my mouth are fair/honest.
I show my honesty/fairness whenever I open my mouth to speak.

and the opening of my lips will reveal right: The phrase and the opening of my lips will reveal is a poetic way to say “I speak.” The NJB expresses it as:

when I speak, my words are right. (NJB)

The word translated by most English versions as right means “honest,” “straightforward,” or “fair.” See the note on 1:3b. It does not mean “right” in the sense of “correct.” So this line may be translated as:

All the words that come from my mouth are fair/honest.

General Comment on 8:6a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel expressions about speaking. For example:

Listen, because what I say is worthwhile and right. (CEV)

Parallel PROV 8:6