“Do not men despise a thief if he steals”: As the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, this verse may be understood either as a question expecting a positive reply or as a negative statement. Revised Standard Version represents the former and New Revised Standard Version the latter: “Thieves are not despised who steal only to satisfy their appetite when they are hungry.” Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version put alternative translations in their footnotes.

“Men” is supplied by Revised Standard Version; the Hebrew has “Do they not despise.” “Despise”, a word meaning to show contempt or to consider as vile, is used in 1.7; 11.12; 13.13; and 14.21. “Thief . . . steals” refers to someone who steals or takes away objects he can carry without being seen.

“To satisfy his appetite when he is hungry”: This line makes clear that hunger is the thief’s motivation for stealing. “Appetite” translates the Hebrew “soul,” which expresses the idea of desire or want. In some languages “when he is hungry” must be expressed as “hungering for food.” Bible en français courant translates this verse “One does not scorn a thief when he has stolen to calm the hunger in his stomach.”

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 .