Proverbs 20:8

NETBible

A king sitting on the throne to judge 1  separates out 2  all evil with his eyes. 3 

NIV ©

When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

NASB ©

A king who sits on the throne of justice Disperses all evil with his eyes.

NLT ©

When a king judges, he carefully weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.

MSG ©

Leaders who know their business and care keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and cheap,

BBE ©

A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.

NRSV ©

A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.

NKJV ©

A king who sits on the throne of judgment Scatters all evil with his eyes.

KJV
A king
<04428>
that sitteth in
<03427> (8802)
the throne
<03678>
of judgment
<01779>
scattereth away
<02219> (8764)
all evil
<07451>
with his eyes
<05869>_.
NASB ©
A king
<4428>
who sits
<3427>
on the throne
<3678>
of justice
<1779>
Disperses
<2219>
all
<3605>
evil
<7451>
with his eyes
<5869>
.
LXXM
otan
<3752> 
ADV
basileuv
<935> 
N-NSM
dikaiov
<1342> 
A-NSM
kayish
<2523> 
V-FMI-2S
epi
<1909> 
PREP
yronou
<2362> 
N-GSM
ouk
<3364> 
ADV
enantioutai {V-PMI-3S} en
<1722> 
PREP
ofyalmoiv
<3788> 
N-DPM
autou
<846> 
D-GSM
pan
<3956> 
A-ASN
ponhron
<4190> 
A-ASN
NET [draft] ITL
A king
<04428>
sitting
<03427>
on
<05921>
the throne
<03678>
to judge
<01779>
separates out
<02219>
all
<03605>
evil
<07451>
with his eyes
<05869>
.
HEBREW
er
<07451>
lk
<03605>
wynyeb
<05869>
hrzm
<02219>
Nyd
<01779>
aok
<03678>
le
<05921>
bswy
<03427>
Klm (20:8)
<04428>
NETBible

A king sitting on the throne to judge 1  separates out 2  all evil with his eyes. 3 

NET Notes

1 tn The infinitive construct is דִּין; it indicates purpose, “to judge” (so NIV, NCV) even though it does not have the preposition with it.

2 tn The second line uses the image of winnowing (cf. NIV, NRSV) to state that the king’s judgment removes evil from the realm. The verb form is מִזָרֶה (mÿzareh), the Piel participle. It has been translated “to sift; to winnow; to scatter” and “to separate” – i.e., separate out evil from the land. The text is saying that a just government roots out evil (cf. NAB “dispels all evil”), but few governments have been consistently just.

3 sn The phrase with his eyes indicates that the king will closely examine or look into all the cases that come before him.