Verses 17-28 are concerned with acts that are harmful to good community relations. They are expressed in figurative language.

“He who meddles in a quarrel not his own”: Revised Standard Version has reversed the order of the Hebrew lines. There is no connecting particle between the two lines, but a comparison is clearly intended. The Hebrew text that Revised Standard Version renders as “meddles” is literally “enraging himself” or “is furious.” Revised Standard Version does not give a footnote on “meddles”, and it may be that this is the way it interprets the Hebrew. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project notes that this rendering may be based on a slightly different Hebrew text and rates the text as we have it as “C.” It offers two translations: “[as a passer-by] who gets excited for a quarrel not his” or “[as one grabbing the ears of a dog passing by] is he who gets excited in a quarrel not his.” However, most English translations have “meddles”, which means “involve yourself” or “interfere.” “A quarrel not his own” is literally “argument not to him,” meaning “an argument that is none of his business,” as in Good News Translation.

“Is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears”: It is helpful to remember that dogs were considered unclean animals in ancient Israel and were not kept as pets. Therefore, to grab “the ears” of “a passing dog” would result in a furious reaction from the animal. Interfering in someone else’s dispute can cause a similar reaction. See Good News Translation for a good model translation.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .