King James Version

Proverbs 20:3

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

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Hebrew

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כָּב֣וֹדkavodgloriousכָּבוֹדnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “glorious”, the ordinary formH3519properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousnessglorious(-ly), glory, honour(-able).לָ֭אִישׁlaishto a certainאִישׁpreposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…שֶׁ֣בֶתshevetceaseשֶׁבֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “cease”, the ordinary formH7674rest, interruption, cessationcease, sit still, loss of time.מֵרִ֑יבmerivfrom causeרִיבpreposition, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “from cause”, the ordinary formH7379a contest (personal or legal)[phrase] adversary, cause, chiding, contend(-tion), controversy, multitude (from the margin), pleading, strife, strive(-ing), suit.וְכָלvekhaland allכֹּלconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “and all”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3605properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).אֱ֝וִ֗ילevilfoolאֱוִילadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, absolute — “fool”, the ordinary formH191(figuratively) sillyfool(-ish) (man).יִתְגַּלָּֽעyitgalameddleגָּלַעverb, hithpael, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “meddle”, an unfinished actionH1566to be obstinate(inter-) meddle (with).

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; But every fool will be quarrelling.

Young’s Literal Translation

An honour to a man is cessation from strife, And every fool intermeddleth.

World English Bible

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Darby Translation

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife; but every fool rusheth into it.

Douay-Rheims

It is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels: but all fools are meddling with reproaches.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

It is an honour for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be snarling.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

It is a glory to a man to turn aside from railing; but every fool is entangled with such matters.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Δόξα ἀνδρὶ ἀποστρέφεσθαι λοιδορίας, πᾶς δὲ ἄφρων τοιούτοις συμπλέκεται.