Translation commentary on Proverbs 5:9

“Lest you give your honor to others”: “Honor” translates a word that refers to splendor or dignity, or sometimes to vigor or strength. There are different ways to interpret this line. Some understand that the learner will lose his honor, reputation, and respect by going to the woman, and that others who stay away from her will take away that respect. Contemporary English Version says, “You will lose your self-respect”; in a number of languages this is expressed as “. . . lose your good name.” Others understand this as advice not to place your honor and wealth at the mercy of other people. Following this line of reasoning Bible en français courant translates, “Don’t place yourself at the mercy of another man,” and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says, “So that you don’t give away your wealth to others.”

“And your years to the merciless”: The verb “give” from the previous line is to be understood here. Another textual variant has “strangers” in place of “merciless”. This seems to be a better match with “others” in the first line. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates “merciless”, that is, “cruel,” as a “B” and supports Revised Standard Version. The question that must be asked is: Who is the “cruel” or “merciless” person? Bible en français courant, which understands this person to be the husband of the adulterous woman, translates this line “Do not let a cruel husband destroy your life.” Note that Good News Translation is more general. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a rendering that may serve as a model: “Otherwise you will be without honor and her cruel husband will kill you to get what you have acquired over many years.” Some others that are similar say, “. . . and her husband will have no mercy on you. He will kill you while you are still young.”

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 5:9)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 5:9:

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not let any person divert/lure other people by giving honor and due to that he is following that woman.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Otherwise you will have to lose your prestige at the hands of others.
    and you will be condemned to a life of servitude which you will regret.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “For if you (sing.) do that, your (sing.) honor will-vanish/lose and other(s) will- just -possess it, and you (sing.) will-die in the hands of violent people.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “For if you (sing.) approach, others will snatch your (sing.) honor and you (sing.) will-be-forced to give to people who have no mercy what you (sing.) have gained in how-many years of your (sing.) life.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 5:9

5:9–10

Both of these verses begin with a word that the Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, and Revised Standard Version translate as “lest.” This word introduces the bad consequences of not obeying the command in 5:8. The consequences are that the young man will have to give the honor and wealth that he has worked for to others.

The four lines of these two verses are parallel. Notice that the parallel parts “others” and “strangers” in the first line of each verse are plural. The parallel parts “one who is cruel” and “house of a foreigner” in the last line of each verse are singular, though they may refer to a collective group. Although they are more specific than the parallel parts in the first two lines, the text does not identify who these individuals are. See the note on 5:9a–b.

5:9

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. The English Standard Version has been used as the source line for 5:9a, because it follows the recommended interpretation.

9a lest you give your honor to others (English Standard Version)

9b and your years to one who is cruel;

There is an ellipsis in 5:9b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 5:9a. For example:

9b and ⌊lest you give⌋ your years to one who is cruel

5:9a–b

to others…to one who is cruel: These phrases are parallel. They refer to an unidentified person or persons who are cruel, ruthless, without mercy. In some languages, keeping the parallel lines may wrongly imply that others and one who is cruel refer to different people. If that is true in your language, you may want to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. See 5:9a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for two ways to do this.

5:9a

(English Standard Version) lest you give your honor to others: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the English Standard Version translates here as your honor. It can refer to either honor or (manly) vigor:

(1) The word refers to honor, respect, or reputation. For example:

you will surrender your reputation to others (God’s Word)

(2) The word refers to strength or vigor. For example:

you will surrender your vigor to others (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most commentaries. “Honor” may be a figure of speech that represents the source of the young man’s honor. His honor or reputation could come from his wealth or from the children that he would be forced to turn over to others. Since there are different interpretations as to the source of his honor, it is recommended that you not specify a particular source.

5:9b

and your years: This phrase is probably a figure of speech (metonymy) that represents what the young man would produce or earn during his best years, when he is in the prime of life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

everything you have achieved in life (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
what you have gained during the best years of your life

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