Proverbs 29:5

NETBible

The one who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his steps.

NIV ©

Whoever flatters his neighbour is spreading a net for his feet.

NASB ©

A man who flatters his neighbor Is spreading a net for his steps.

NLT ©

To flatter people is to lay a trap for their feet.

MSG ©

A flattering neighbor is up to no good; he's probably planning to take advantage of you.

BBE ©

A man who says smooth things to his neighbour is stretching out a net for his steps.

NRSV ©

Whoever flatters a neighbor is spreading a net for the neighbor’s feet.

NKJV ©

A man who flatters his neighbor Spreads a net for his feet.


KJV
A man
<01397>
that flattereth
<02505> (8688)
his neighbour
<07453>
spreadeth
<06566> (8802)
a net
<07568>
for his feet
<06471>_.
NASB ©

A man
<1397>
who flatters
<2505>
his neighbor
<7453>
Is spreading
<6566>
a net
<7568>
for his steps
<6471>
.
LXXM
(36:5) ov
<3739> 
R-NSM
paraskeuazetai
<3903> 
V-PMI-3S
epi
<1909> 
PREP
proswpon
<4383> 
N-ASN
tou
<3588> 
T-GSM
eautou
<1438> 
D-GSM
filou
<5384> 
A-GSM
diktuon
<1350> 
N-ASN
periballei
<4016> 
V-PAI-3S
auto
<846> 
D-ASN
toiv
<3588> 
T-DPM
eautou
<1438> 
D-GSM
posin
<4228> 
N-DPM
NET [draft] ITL
The one
<01397>
who flatters
<02505>
his neighbor
<07453>
spreads
<06566>
a net
<07568>
for
<05921>
his steps
<06471>
.
HEBREW
wymep
<06471>
le
<05921>
vrwp
<06566>
tsr
<07568>
wher
<07453>
le
<05921>
qylxm
<02505>
rbg (29:5)
<01397>

NETBible

The one who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his steps.

NET Notes

tn Heb “a man,” but the context here does not suggest that the proverb refers to males only.

tn The form is the Hiphil participle, literally “deals smoothly,” i.e., smoothing over things that should be brought to one’s attention.

sn The flatterer is too smooth; his words are intended to gratify. In this proverb some malice is attached to the flattery, for the words prove to be destructive.

sn The image of “spreading a net” for someone’s steps is an implied comparison (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis): As one would literally spread a net, this individual’s flattery will come back to destroy him. A net would be spread to catch the prey, and so the idea is one of being caught and destroyed.

tn There is some ambiguity concerning the referent of “his steps.” The net could be spread for the one flattered (cf. NRSV, “a net for the neighbor’s feet”; NLT, “their feet,” referring to others), or for the flatterer himself (cf. TEV “you set a trap for yourself”). The latter idea would make the verse more powerful: In flattering someone the flatterer is getting himself into a trap (e.g., 2:16; 7:5; 26:28; 28:23).