PROVERBS: KING JAMES TRANSLATION -- PART 2

In continuation of a review of phrases in the King James Version of Proverbs which happen to be used as chapter titles in Ashes to Ashes by Emma Lathan, here are those given in the last half of Proverbs.

Proverbs 18:8; 26:22 – The Words of a Talebearer

What exactly is a “talebearer”? Is it someone who tattles on someone else, a professional storyteller, a liar? Modern translations clarify the underlying meaning of the Hebrew word nirdan as “gossip” (TEV), “slanderer” (AB) or “rumor monger” (Living Bible).

Proverbs 20:17 – Bread of Deceit

This misleading translation is better rendered as “bread gained by fraud or deceit” since there is nothing deceitful about the bread itself. Murphy notes that there is an untranslatable catchword tying together verses 16 and 17 formed by the Hebrew 'rb, which can mean either “sweet” or “surety.”

Proverb 21:9 – A Brawling Woman

There are several probable problems with this rendering of the original Hebrew text. To start with, the modern image conjured up by “brawl” is a physical fight without any rules and perhaps involving more than two parties. Secondly, the NEB translates the end of this verse as “than to have a nagging wife and a brawling household” in place ot NRSV's “than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” Thirdly, Whybray offers “a shared house”, “a spacious house” and “an alehouse” as possible alternative translations for “a brawling household.”

Proverbs 22:5 – Thorns and Snares

Martin says that “the wicked shares the difficulties of the sluggard (15:29), though 'thorns' is a rare word that may mean 'hooks' and so (with 'snares') symbolize the difficulties in which he is caught, for all this scheming.”

Waltke devotes a number of words discussing this phrase, arriving at his own translation of “snares, the bird-trap sort.” He points out that the word “and” is found nowhere in the Hebrew text and therefore would have to be supplied in order to translate this phrase as any A+B combination. A second problem arises with the word sen, which is uncertain in meaning. One scholar changes the word to sammim 'traps' while another one substitutes sepunim 'hidden.' 'Thorns and snares' comes from seninim 'thorns' in Numbers 33:35 and Joshua 23:13. He mentions that several other possibilities have been suggested in the literature.

Proverbs 22:28; 23:10 – Remove Not the Old Landmark

I have witnessed demonstrations in which people in a city protest the removal of a historical building and fight to preserve it for posterity. But that is not the sort of landmark that is in mind here. As Martin says: “Boundary markers [a superior translation] were important in the ancient world, as witnessed by the Israelite Law (Dt. 19:14; 27:17; and see Prov. 15:25)...The Heb. word is generally used for boundary, but this could be marked in various ways – by a cairn of stones (Gen. 31:51), a stone (Jos. 15:6) or a hedge (Isa. 5:5). There might also be other prominent features by reference to which boundaries were determined. 'set up by your forefathers': shows respect for ancient agreement and settlement.”

Waltke notes that this “refers to the time when Joshua distributed the land by casting the sacred lot (Joshua 14-19)...Throughout the ancient Near East people had a great respect for private and tribal boundaries so essential for a family's life.”

Modern counterparts are the survey markers put into the ground to designate the legal edges of one's property, but in ancient times rocks generally served the same purpose. The main problem, as you can imagine, came about if you had an unscrupulous neighbor who would secretly move the rocks a little at a time until he illegally gained property that was rightfully yours. That is the background to this saying.

Proverbs 23:28 – Transgressors Among Men

The whole verse in the KJV reads: “She [i.e. the strange woman] also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressions among men.”

Transgressors (bogedim) is translated more accurately as traitor or the disloyal by Waltke. He says, “'Bagad expresses the unfaithfulness of a person to an existing and established relationship. Specifically, the people in view are the men and women 'who abandoned' their heritage of having a relationship with God and with their leaders.” Thus, the RSV translates the verse as “She lies in wait like a robber and increases the faithless among men.”

However, The Jerusalem Bible takes a different interpretive stance and reads, “Yes, like a robber she is on the watch and many are the men she dupes.” And their footnote to this verse adds, “Lit. 'she increases dupes (corr.' Hebr. 'deceivers') among men'.”

Proverbs 25:6-7 – The Place of Great Men

This location is where, according to the author, a person should not deign to stand. The best commentary on this passage is found in Luke 14:8-11 where Jesus counsels people not to push themselves forward by taking the best seats at a banquet or royal occasion. The possible embarrassment resulting from that hubris is that you may be asked to vacate your seat in order that a more honored guest can take your place. Instead, you should humbly take a less desirable seat and leave it to your host to elevate you to a more honored place if he wishes.

Waltke pictures a slightly different setting for this saying: “In the place has the more restricted sense of the court or some other place where influential people congregate. Great refers to people of rank and influence (see 18:6). Do not stand (see 12:7) cautions the courtier, who alone could face this temptation, not to take up a position with men and influence.” In other words, do not consider yourself higher than you really are.

Proverbs 25:21-22 – Coals of Fire

This is probably one of the most recognizable phrases in Proverbs due to its being quoted by Paul in the Greek version to teach that the best way to overcome evil is with good (see Romans 12:17-21). However, that meaning is not exactly obvious to most readers. Waltke concludes after a page and a half of discussion on the subject: “Some think that heaping coals of fire on a person's head is a form of punishment and of appeasing one's need foe vengeance, but the parallel, 'the Lord will reward you,' negates that interpretation...Most interpreters agree that 'coals of fire' is a morally good deed, one pleasing to the LORD.”

Proverbs 26:1 – As Snow in Summer

The comparison here is between getting snow in the summer and the honoring of a fool. Buzzell says, “Snow in summer or rain in harvest is is inappropriate, highly unusual, and potentially damaging to crops. Putting a fool in a position of honor (cf. 26:8) is inappropriate (cf. 19:10) and may injure others who follow him as a model.”

Proverbs 27:23 – Be Thou Diligent

The KJV “Be thou diligent to know the state of the flocks, and look well to thy herds” is replaced by Waltke with the less stilted “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, pay attention to [your] herds.” But the general meaning remains the same in each rendering.

Proverbs 27:24 – Riches Are Not Forever

This proverb certainly contradicts the title of the James Bond novel “Diamonds Are Forever.” But to what exactly does forever refer? Waltke explains that it “could refer to an individual's lifetime (cf. Exod 19:19; 21:6), but the parallel shows that it refers to the farthest, distant time in the sense of unceasing.”

The parallel to which he is referring is the second line of the verse, which reads, “and does a crown endure to all generations?”

Proverbs 29:9 – There is No Rest

Martin labels this verse as a “contribution to the paradox of 26:4,5. 'goes to court' means a legal case , and the proverb suggests it is a waste of time prosecuting a fool, because 'there is no peace', either in the hearing or, more likely, no satisfactory end to the case.”

Alternatively, RSV translates the whole verse as “If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.” As an alternative to “quiet,” it also can mean “no satisfaction.” This translation thus partially agrees with Martin except for the proposed setting of the proverb.

Proverbs 31:15 – She Riseth Also

The general meaning of this proverb is clear: “The figure connotes that in keeping with her character she puts the well-being of the household before her own comfort.” (Waltke)

The only real problem with the KJV is the addition of “also,” which is not present in the Hebrew original. Its presence can cause an undue association with the more famous “the sun also rises” in Ecclesiastes 1:5.

PROVERBS: KING JAMES TRANSLATION -- PART 1

Although some people swear by the KJV, some of the wording has not stood up to the test of time since 1611 when it was first published, As a random test of this statement, I was reading a mystery story by Emma Latham called Ashes to Ashes, in which each chapter title came right out of the book of Proverbs, as written in the KJV. This was quite appropriate to the subject of the mystery, which involved the potential sale of a parochial school, since in a sense Proverbs served as a sort of primer for Jewish boys.

Here are the first half of those phrases from Proverbs with comments regarding the King James translation. The second half of chapter titles will be discussed in a subsequent post.

Proverbs 1:21 – The Chief Place of Concourse

Hulst discusses the translation “concourse” as coming from the root verb hama(h), meaning 'to make a noise.' “The word probably indicates the busiest places in town, and thus the translation can be 'where the busiest (streets) begin'...Others render 'above the bustle', but this is an unlikely translation in view of the first word bro's 'at the beginning', or 'at the head', or 'on the top'. In place of the Hebr homiyyot, the LXX [Greek Septuagint] read homot 'walls'. The RSV has accepted this change and rendered 'on the top of the walls'.”

Thus, we have a number of potential problems here caused by a rare word of unknown derivation in conjunction with the textual issue as to whether the Hebrew or Greek text is the most reliable. In addition, the modern definition of “concourse” is a large space in front of or inside a building, such as an airport concourse.

Proverbs 5:14 – In the Midst of the Congregation

This is where the author has been disgraced in some way. If any of us were asked where this might be located, I am sure the answer would be, “At a church service.” However, Walls sets us straight by explaining that “the phrase...is viewed as a corporate designation for Israel as the people of God, and the fact that the sin was committed in the midst of such a people would constitute an aggravation of it (cf. Heb. 12:15).”

Proverbs 8:14 – Counsel is Mine

Since the verse goes on to add “sound wisdom” and “insight” to God's attributes, this phrase stands as a good translation unlikely to be as misunderstood as the use of “counselor” in Proverbs 11:14, discussed below.

Proverbs 8:33 – Hear Instruction, and Be Wise

The whole verse concludes with “and do not neglect it” according to NRSV. This seems like such a simple verse that one wonders how there could possibly be any problems with its translation. However, it turns out that the original Hebrew is not that easy to decipher. Waltke notes that several letters in the original may have dropped out accidentally and need to be restored; Scott translates it as “Give heed to instruction and reject not wisdom,” leaving out “be wise” altogether; and the Jerusalem Bible somehow feels the need to rearrange the order of the poetic lines so that v. 33 is sandwiched between the first and second lines of v. 34 in order to make sense out of the whole. Fortunately, the general idea of the verse is conveyed in all of these variations.

Proverbs 10:26 – Vinegar to the Teeth

This is an example of emblematic parallelism in which a figurative expression such as above is compared to a literal situation, in this case to show what the author feels about a lazy employee, in other words “an irritant.” However, some people may not see what is wrong with vinegar at all – what about vinegar and oil dressing? The answer lies in the lack of dental care during those days. Thus, it probably refers to the great pain caused when an acidic substance such as vinegar hits a broken or diseased tooth. This is explained in the Syriac version of Proverbs.

Proverbs 11:14; 24:6 (cf. 15:22) – A Multitude of Counselors

The only possibly confusing thing regarding this translation is that “counselor” immediately conjures up images of a school counselor, a marriage counselor, or a lawyer. And it is actually in that last sense that my mystery story uses it. However, in each of the three verses cited above, this phrase occurs in one line of a two-line proverb and can be seen to be parallel to those who give guidance in general. Thus, most readers would probably not be misled by this translation.

Waltke explains: “Counselors (yoles) is a technical term from a root that means “to determine,' plan,' or 'advise.' Any competent person, male or female...could act as a counselor in a specific case (cf. 12:20). In a multitude (berob) denotes the many whose arguments and counterarguments guarantee that their agreed-upon plan will not miscarry but succeed in spite of danger...The proverb counters the danger of caucus-dominated political practices.” Thus, he notes, “Significantly, Proverbs always represents counselors as in a group (11:14; 15:22; 24:6).”

Proverbs 11:25 – The Liberal Soul

In view of the current preoccupation with political differences, it is no doubt best to entirely avoid the use of the word “liberal” here. In addition to that problem, Whybray employs the more appropriate and usual translation of “generous man” and points out that the phrase in Hebrew literally denotes the 'person of blessing.' “This phrase could equally mean 'a person who has received divine favor'.”

Proverbs 14:2; 28:6 – Perverse in His Ways

This property of those who despise the LORD has alternatively been rendered as “devious in conduct” (NRSV, NIV), “a degenerate life” (The Message); “sin” (Living Bible), “paths are crooked” (JB), and “immoral man” (AB). Probably the best translations are those which do not appear to point to sexual perversions only.

And the safest approach is to note that both the verses in Proverbs in which this word appears are in the form of antithetic parallelism. In other words, “perverse in his ways” is the opposite of “walking uprightly” and “walking in integrity.”

Proverbs 15:1 – Grievous Words

Walls translates it in the singular as “a harsh word” and explains that the adjective in the Hebrew suggests one that hurts others. By contrast, the word “grievous” in today's parlance tends to indicate sadness instead because of the verb “grieve.”

Proverb 15:17 – A Stalled Ox

The King James Version of this whole verse reads, “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” This is probably an incomprehensible statement to most people, conjuring up the vision of an ox who has wandered out on the road and stops there, snarling up traffic until someone kills him and drags him home to eat.

Scott notes that although a great number of Old Testament proverbs have entered into the popular parlance, others such as this one, “might have done so had the terms in which they are put been less strange to our ears.” Thus, the pretty much incomprehensible KJV starts to make sense only when we realize that a “stalled”ox is one which was purposely left in his stall to fatten up for food, rather than one slaughtered after spending its life working in the field. It is a “fattened ox” which was fit for a royal banquet.

“The NIV renders the only other occurrence of the verb 'abus [fattened'], which is used in connection with the fowl on Solomon's table, by 'choice' (1 K. 4:23).” (Waltke)

Conclusion

Note that most, but not all, of the above translation difficulties stem simply from the way the English language has changed over the more than 400 years since the KJV was published.