Proverbs 16:25 NIV vs every other translation

The Public Square
1

Reading the NIV last night, I was shocked. I knew it was a translation of gender gymnastics and sex suppression, but I thought it took the form of replacing “he” with “they”, and “man” with “people”, etc.

But when I read Proverbs 16:25, I saw they were so keen on avoiding the masculine, they cut it right out!

Here is the NIV 1984 (and most other translations):

There is a way that seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.

Here it is in the NIV:

There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.

Not even a “to people”! They took the whole “to a man” right out!

Ayayaye!

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2

Yep. Looked it up. The word “ish” is there. Ironically, it is the words “which seems” which aren’t there in the original, supplied by the translators.

But yes, the NIV does much more than change a few pronouns.

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