PROV 9:10 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=minor/spelling Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: green:YHWH.
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 Ἀρχὴ σοφίας φόβος Κυρίου, καὶ βουλὴ ἁγίων σύνεσις·
(Arⱪaʸ sofias fobos Kuriou, kai boulaʸ hagiōn sunesis; )

BrTr The fear of the Lord is the [fn]beginning of wisdom, and the counsel of saints is understanding:

ULT The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Yahweh
⇔ and knowledge of holy things is understanding.

UST If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh,
⇔ and only by knowing what is holy will you understand which teachings are wise and true.

OEB No OEB PROV book available

WEBBE The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
⇔ The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord,
⇔ and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.

LSV The commencement of wisdom [is] the fear of YHWH,
And a knowledge of the Holy Ones [is] understanding.

FBV Honoring the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One brings insight.

T4T ⇔ If you want to be wise, you must start by revering Yahweh,
⇔ and if you know God, the Holy One, you will understand which teachings are wise/true.

LEB • The start of wisdom is fear of Yahweh, and knowledge of the Holy One,[fn] insight.

9:? Or “holy ones”

BBE The fear of the Lord is the start of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One gives a wise mind

Moff The first thing in knowledge is reverence for the Eternal,
⇔ to know the Deity is what knowledge means;

JPS The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the All-holy is understanding.

ASV The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom;
⇔ And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

DRA The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is prudence.

YLT The commencement of wisdom [is] the fear of Jehovah, And a knowledge of the Holy Ones [is] understanding.

Drby The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the Holy is intelligence.

RV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

SLT The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Jehovah, and the knowledge of the holy ones is understanding.

Wbstr The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

KJB-1769 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

KJB-1611 The feare of the LORD is the beginning of wisedome: and the knowledge of the holy is vnderstanding.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome: and the knowledge of holy thinges, is vnderstanding.
(The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of holy things, is understanding.)

Gnva The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is vnderstanding.
(The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and the knowledge of holy things, is understanding. )

Cvdl The feare of the LORDE is the begynnynge of wysdome, & the knowlege of holy thinges is vnderstondinge.
(The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of holy things is understanding.)

Wycl The bigynnyng of wisdom is the dreed of the Lord; and prudence is the kunnyng of seyntis.
(The beginning of wisdom is the dreed of the Lord; and prudence is the cunning of saints.)

Luth Der Weisheit Anfang ist des HErr’s Furcht; und der Verstand lehret, was heilig ist.
(The wise_(people) beginning is the LORD’s fear(n); and the/of_the mind teaches, what/which holy is.)

ClVg Principium sapientiæ timor Domini, et scientia sanctorum prudentia.
(Principium of_wisdom fear Master, and knowledge/skill holy_place prudence. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:1–18: Wisdom and Folly each urge people to follow them

This section summarizes the main themes of chapters 1–8. It contains parallel appeals by Wisdom (9:1–6) and Folly (9:13–18), both personified as women. Both Wisdom and Folly appeal to the same audience, inviting them to come and eat in their homes. Between these two appeals is a summary of two opposite ways to respond to Wisdom (9:7–12). In the center of this paragraph, 9:10 contains a restatement of the first line of 1:7. These key verses mark chapters 1 and 9 as the beginning and end of the first major division of the book.

Some other headings for this section are:

Invitations of Wisdom and of Folly (NIV)

Wisdom and Foolishness each give a feast

Being Wise or Foolish (NCV)

Paragraph 9:7–12

In this paragraph, the author or teacher contrasts the different ways in which a wise person and a mocker respond to advice. He also emphasizes that it is important to fear the LORD in order to become wise.

In Hebrew, the “you” pronouns used in this paragraph are singular. The Display will also use you^(sing). You may use whatever forms are natural in your language.

9:10

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^10a The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

^10band knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

9:10a

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

If a person wants to be wise, he must first fear and revere Yahweh.
Have respect/reverence/awe for Yahweh and obey him; then you^(sing) will start to become wise.
A person’s fear and reverence for Yahweh is the basis/foundation for his wisdom.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: This clause is identical to 1:7a except that 1:7a has “knowledge” instead of wisdom. Also, a different but synonymous Hebrew word is used for beginning.

9:10a–b

(combined/reordered)

If a person wants to become wise and have the ability to think clearly, he must first know, respect, and obey Yahweh, the holy God.

9:10b

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

If a person wants to have understanding/insight, he must know God/him, the Holy One.
If you^(sing) know this Holy God, you will become intelligent/perceptive.
Yahweh is perfect. He is totally good. A person who knows him will have ability to think/reason.

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding: The relationship between knowledge of the Holy One and understanding may be expressed in various ways:

To have understanding, you must know the Holy God. (CEV)

If you know the Holy One, you have understanding. (GNT)

Understanding begins with knowing the Holy One. (NCV)

Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding. (NLT96)

Choose a way that clearly and naturally expresses the meaning in your language. See knowledge and understanding (insight) in the Glossary.

knowledge of the Holy One: This phrase refers to people knowing God, not to what God knows. For the similar phrase “knowledge of God,” see the note on 2:5a–b.

the Holy One: The Hebrew word that the BSB translates here as the Holy One is plural. Usually it refers to righteous people or to heavenly beings. However, in this verse, it clearly refers to God,None of the commentaries used in preparing these notes recommended any other interpretation, and of the versions used, only the NJB followed a different interpretation. The NJB had: “What God’s holy ones know—this is understanding.” because of the parallel with the first line.

In this context, the phrase the Holy One refers to God as a divine being. He is sacred and is essentially different from everything that he has created. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless. Because of these qualities, he is worthy of awe. In some languages, there may be an idiom to describe this.

Some ways to translate the Holy One in this context are:

the Holy God (CEV)

the one who is totally pure/good

the one who is worthy of all worship/awe

the perfect one

General Comment on 9:10a–b

In this verse, the parallel terms “the LORD” and “the Holy One” refer to the same God. In some languages, using these two terms may imply that two different Gods are being referred to. If that is true in your language, there are at least two options:

Use a word like “him” or “this” in 9:10b that clearly refers back to the LORD in 9:10a. For example:
^10b…and if a person knows him, the Holy God, he will have understanding.
^10b…and if a person knows this God, who is perfectly pure, he will have understanding.
Combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. For example:
If you want to become wise and have the ability to think clearly, you must first know the LORD, the holy God. You must also respect and obey him.

See also 9:10a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.