Wrong Use of the Word “Bribe”
Proverbs 17:8 (HCSB)
8 A bribe seems like a magic stone to its owner; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Proverbs 17:8 (NIV)
8 A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.
Proverbs 17:8 (CJB)
8 A bribe works like a charm, in the view of him who gives it — wherever it turns, it succeeds.
Proverbs 17:8 (AMP)
8 A bribe is like a bright, precious stone that dazzles the eyes and affects the mind of him who gives it; [as if by magic] he prospers, whichever way he turns.
Proverbs 17:8 (NASB)
8 A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
All of these modern translations got it wrong when they break the clear principles of the word of God that clearly says those who give bribes are cursed. Using the word “bribe” produces false translations as seen in these bible versions above.
Proverbs 17:23 (NIV)
23 A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.
God’s word says the only wicked men accept a bribe so how could all of the modern translations say that a bribe works like a charm to cause the briber to prosper wherever he goes? This is clearly against the big-picture principles of God’s word!
Exodus 23:8 (NIV)
8 “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous.
Those who accept bribes are those who pervert justice. How then can a bribe cause a man to prosper when it is a sin and brings a curse from God (not a blessing)?
Deuteronomy 16:19 (NIV)
19 Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
Repeatedly the word of God says that a bribe is evil and pervert’s justice and is forbidden by God. How then can these modern bible translators assume a bribe can cause a briber to prosper? The exact opposite is true when the briber will receive a curse from God instead of a blessing!
Deuteronomy 27:25 (NIV)
25 “Cursed is the man who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
The bible clearly teaches that those who accept bribes are cursed and the same can be said of those who also give bribes because bribes are evil in God’s sight. Yet these laymen bible translators ignore the big-picture principles of the Bible and give the false impression that a bribe “works like a charm” to get the briber whatever he desires! Nothing could be farther from the truth! Entire nations (which are run on bribe culture) have nothing but misery and poverty and there is no charm or blessing to these people who engage in bribes!
Proverbs 17:8 (KJV)
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
In this case only the KJV got it right and uses the word “gift” instead of a “bribe” because a man’s gift (such as a man’s talent or ability) will cause him to prosper.
1 Kings 7:13-14 (NIV2011)
13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram,
14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom, with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him.
Huram is an example of a man gifted in craftsmanship to make things of artistic beauty from all types of materials. It was the gift or ability of Huram that caused him to stand before Kings and he was even summoned by King Solomon to build the greatest temple on earth and to make all its related accessories! It is not a bribe that prospers men but rather their talent and abilities and gifts and knowledge that makes them stand before kings and receive great promotion and wealth to cause them to prosper.
Proverbs 17:23 (HCSB)
23 A wicked man secretly takes a bribe to subvert the course of justice.
The bible clearly says that a wicked man takes a bribe so in no way could it be a proper translation for all of these versions to condone bribes as if they are an effective way of promotion when in fact giving bribes will cause a curse. This is what happens when laymen translators ignore the big-picture principles and follow one another in translating words like ‘gift” and changing this word into the perverse term “bribe” instead which totally alters the intended meaning of the scripture!
Proverbs 18:16 (HCSB)
16 A gift opens doors for a man and brings him before the great.
The proper meaning here is that a “gift” or “ability” or “talent” brings a man before great kings but not a bribe which is a mistranslation. In order to translate the bible properly they have to also consider the big-picture principles that are evident in multiple occasions throughout the bible. There should be no contradiction between these big-picture principles that are revealed in various places throughout the bible.
Proverbs 21:14 (NKJV)
14 A gift in secret pacifies anger, And a bribe behind the back, strong wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 (NASB)
14 A gift in secret subdues anger, And a bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 (AMP)
14 A gift in secret pacifies and turns away anger, and a bribe in the lap, strong wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 (CJB)
14 A secret gift allays anger, and a bribe under the cloak the strongest fury.
Proverbs 21:14 (NIV)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 (NIV2011)
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger, and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
Proverbs 21:14 (NLT2)
14 A secret gift calms anger; a bribe under the table pacifies fury.
Proverbs 21:14 (HCSB)
14 A secret gift soothes anger, and a covert bribe, fierce rage.
All of the eight translations of this scripture above seem to condone bribes as gifts but again that goes against the “big-picture” biblical principles.
Proverbs 21:14 (KJV)
14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
Out of nine translations only the KJV does not use the awful word “Bribe” but instead uses gift or reward.
Proverbs 21:14 (KJV)-M
14 A gift given in condolence pacifies anger: and a reward (given from the heart) soothes strong wrath.
I have modified the KJV above to reflect the fact that a gift given in condolence or a reward given from the heart can sooth strong wrath.
A personal example of this is when I was applying lawn chemicals to customers lawns and I scattered some fertilizer on the concrete driveway of the customer but I did not see it because I worked late and it was nearly dark when I applied these chemicals. But this lawn fertilizer contained iron which causes the grass to green but this iron stains concrete with dark brown stains! The customer was angry that I ruined his masonry with iron stains so I returned with some cleaner in an attempt to remove the iron stains. The anger of the customer subsided when he saw that I was at least doing my best to try to remove these stains from his concrete and I gave him the bottle of “cleaner” and he said he would work on it some more. This gift of the bottle of “cleaner” was not a bribe but rather it showed care for the customer by making an effort to correct my mistake.
Proverbs 21:14 (KJV)-M
14 A gift given in condolence pacifies anger: and a reward (given from the heart) soothes strong wrath.
Again, even though this scripture seems to condone a bribe, this is still a poor translation because a bribe is used by wicked men to buy-off or control crooked officials and pervert justice. When I gave some “cleaner” to the customer it was not a bribe to pervert justice but a gift of my time and effort to correct a mistake and he seemed to be satisfied and not angry that I was at least trying to do my best.
So my gift of this “cleaner” was not a “bribe” but a “gift of condolence” to pacify anger and it was a reward or gift which soothed his anger because I was doing my best to correct the mistake I caused. It was given from my heart because I was sorry I caused the stains on his masonry.
It is important to use the right words and there is a big difference in the word “gift” to make someone perceive love and care for them and “bribe” which perverts justice and is used by evil and wicked men to manipulate the legal system for their own favor.
Translating a scripture by using the word “Bribe” instead of the word “gift” can alter the entire meaning of the scripture. If that altered meaning contradicts the overall big-picture principles of the bible then that translation is in error.
The entire bible speaks of honesty and frequently says that God hates bribes. How then could these laymen translators use the word “bribe” in place of the word “gift” as if a bride could make someone prosper? Nothing could be farther from the truth because a bribe-culture can bring a curse of poverty to an entire nation!
No, God does not bless bribers anymore that those who accept bribes. Those who do these things are cursed by God and not blessed. The overall general big-picture principles have to be considered by these layman bible translators or they will cause confusion by translating scriptures that are in conflict with the overall big-picture biblical principles such as honesty!