King James Version

Proverbs 17:14

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

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Hebrew

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פּ֣וֹטֵֽרpoterdismissפָּטַרverb, qal, participle, construct — “dismiss”, a verb used as a describing wordH6362to cleave or burst through, i.e. (causatively) to emit, whether literal or figurative (gape)dismiss, free, let (shoot) out, slip away.מַ֭יִםmayimwaterמַיִםnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).רֵאשִׁ֣יתreshitfirstרֵאשִׁיתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “first”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7225the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.מָד֑וֹןmadonbrawlingמָדוֹןnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “brawling”, the ordinary formH4066a contest or quarrelbrawling, contention(-ous), discord, strife. Compare H4079 (מִדְיָן), H4090 (מְדָן).וְלִפְנֵ֥יvelifneand to a- foreפָּנִיםconjunction, preposition, noun, common, both genders, plural, construct — “and to a- fore”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)[phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-…הִ֝תְגַּלַּ֗עhitgalameddleגָּלַעverb, hithpael, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “meddle”, a completed actionH1566to be obstinate(inter-) meddle (with).הָרִ֥יבharivthe causeרִיבdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the cause”, the ordinary formH7379a contest (personal or legal)[phrase] adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit.נְטֽוֹשׁnetoshlet fallנָטַשׁverb, qal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “let fall”, a commandH5203properly, to pound, i.e. smite; by implication (as if beating out, and thus expanding) to disperse; also, to thrust off, down, out or upon (inclusively, reject, let alone, permit, remit, etc.)cast off, drawn, let fall, forsake, join (battle), leave (off), lie still, loose, spread (self) abroad, stretch out, suffer.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.

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The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before there is quarrelling.

Young’s Literal Translation

The beginning of contention [is] a letting out of waters, And before it is meddled with leave the strife.

World English Bible

The beginning of strife is like breaching a dam, therefore stop contention before quarreling breaks out.

Darby Translation

The beginning of contention is [as] when one letteth out water; therefore leave off strife before it become vehement.

Douay-Rheims

The beginning of quarrels is as when one letteth out water: before he suffereth reproach he forsaketh judgment.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

Rightful rule gives power to words; but sedition and strife precede poverty.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐξουσίαν δίδωσι λόγοις ἀρχὴ δικαιοσύνης, προηγεῖται δὲ τῆς ἐνδείας στάσις καὶ μάχη.