Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Proverbs 17:8

NETBible	A bribe works like¹ a charm² for the one who offers it;³ in whatever he does⁴ he succeeds.⁵
NIV © biblegateway Pro 17:8	A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
NASB © biblegateway Pro 17:8	A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
NLT © biblegateway Pro 17:8	A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it; they succeed in all they do.
MSG © biblegateway Pro 17:8	Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone; any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.
BBE © SABDAweb Pro 17:8	An offering of money is like a stone of great price in the eyes of him who has it: wherever he goes, he does well.
NRSV © bibleoremus Pro 17:8	A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it; wherever they turn they prosper.
NKJV © biblegateway Pro 17:8	A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
[+] More English


KJV	A gift <07810> [is as] a precious <02580> stone <068> in the eyes <05869> of him that hath <01167> it: whithersoever it turneth <06437> (8799)_, it prospereth <07919> (8686)_. {a precious...: Heb. a stone of grace}
NASB © biblegateway Pro 17:8	A bribe <07810> is a charm <068> <2580> in the sight <05869> of its owner <01167> ; Wherever <0413> <3605> <0834> he turns <06437> , he prospers <07919> .
LXXM	misyov <3408> N-NSM caritwn <5485> N-GPF h <3588> T-NSF paideia <3809> N-NSF toiv <3588> T-DPM crwmenoiv <5530> V-PMPDP ou <3739> R-GSM d <1161> PRT an <302> PRT epistreqh <1994> V-FMI-2S euodwyhsetai <2137> V-FPI-3S
NET [draft] ITL	A bribe <07810> works like a charm <02580> <068> for the one <01167> who offers it; in whatever <0834> <03605> he does <06437> he succeeds <07919> .
HEBREW	lykvy <07919> hnpy <06437> rsa <0834> lk <03605> la <0413> wyleb <01167> ynyeb <05869> dxsh <07810> Nx <02580> Nba (17:8) <068>

NETBible

A bribe works like¹ a charm² for the one who offers it;³ in whatever he does⁴ he succeeds.⁵

NET Notes

¹tn The phrase “works like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.

²tn Heb “a stone of favors”; NAB, NRSV “a magic stone.” The term שֹׁחַד (shokhad, “bribe”) could be simply translated as “a gift”; but the second half of the verse says that the one who offers it is successful. At best it could be a gift that opens doors; at worst it is a bribe. The word שֹׁחַד is never used of a disinterested gift, so there is always something of the bribe in it (e.g., Ps 15:5; Isa 1:23). Here it is “a stone that brings favor,” the genitive being the effect or the result of the gift. In other words, it has magical properties and “works like a charm.”

³tn Heb “in the eyes of its owner.”

⁴tn Heb “in all that he turns”; NASB, NIV “wherever he turns.”

⁵sn As C. H. Toy points out, the sage is merely affirming a point without making a comment – those who use bribery meet with widespread success (Proverbs [ICC], 341). This does not amount to an endorsement of bribery.