Proverbs 20:3

NETBible

It is an honor for a person 1  to cease 2  from strife, but every fool quarrels. 3 

NIV ©

It is to a man’s honour to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

NASB ©

Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool will quarrel.

NLT ©

Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.

MSG ©

It's a mark of good character to avert quarrels, but fools love to pick fights.

BBE ©

It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.

NRSV ©

It is honorable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

NKJV ©

It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.

KJV
[It is] an honour
<03519>
for a man
<0376>
to cease
<07674>
from strife
<07379>_:
but every fool
<0191>
will be meddling
<01566> (8691)_.
NASB ©
Keeping
<7674>
away
<7674>
from strife
<7379>
is an honor
<3519>
for a man
<376>
, But any
<3605>
fool
<191>
will quarrel
<1566>
.
LXXM
doxa
<1391> 
N-NSF
andri
<435> 
N-DSM
apostrefesyai
<654> 
V-PMN
loidoriav
<3059> 
N-APF
pav
<3956> 
A-NSM
de
<1161> 
PRT
afrwn
<878> 
A-NSM
toioutoiv
<5108> 
A-DPM
sumpleketai {V-PMI-3S}
NET [draft] ITL
It is an honor
<03519>
for a person
<0376>
to cease
<07674>
from strife
<07379>
, but every
<03605>
fool
<0191>
quarrels
<01566>
.
HEBREW
elgty
<01566>
lywa
<0191>
lkw
<03605>
byrm
<07379>
tbs
<07674>
syal
<0376>
dwbk (20:3)
<03519>
NETBible

It is an honor for a person 1  to cease 2  from strife, but every fool quarrels. 3 

NET Notes

1 tn Heb “man.”

2 tn Heb “cessation” (שֶׁבֶת, shevet); NAB “to shun strife”; NRSV “refrain from strife.”

2 sn One cannot avoid conflict altogether; but the proverb is instructing that at the first sign of conflict the honorable thing to do is to find a way to end it.

3 tn Heb “breaks out.” The Hitpael of the verb גָּלַע (gala’, “to expose; to lay bare”) means “to break out; to disclose oneself,” and so the idea of flaring up in a quarrel is clear. But there are also cognate connections to the idea of “showing the teeth; snarling” and so quarreling viciously.