Surely it is futile to spread ¹  a net in plain sight of ²  any bird, ³ 

biblegateway Pro 1:17

Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird;

It is foolish to spread a net where any bird can see it,

It does no good to spread a net within the sight of any bird.

biblegateway Pro 1:17

How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!

For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,

bibleoremus Pro 1:17

For in vain is the net baited while the bird is looking on;

(A net is spread in vain if any bird that flies can see it.)

biblegateway Pro 1:17

Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird;

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

biblegateway Pro 1:17

Surely it is futile to spread ¹  a net in plain sight of ²  any bird, ³ 

¹ tn Heb “for the net to be spread out.” The Pual participle of זָרָה (zarah) means “to be spread” (HALOT 280 s.v. I זרה pu.1). The subject of this verbal use of the participle is the noun הָרָשֶׁת (harashet, “the net”). It is futile for the net to be spread out in plain view of birds.

² tn Heb “in the eyes of.”

² sn This means either: (1) Spreading a net in view of birds is futile because birds will avoid the trap; but the wicked are so blind that they fail to see danger; or (2) it does not matter if a net is spread because birds are so hungry they will eat anyway and be trapped; the wicked act in a similar way.

³ tn Heb “all of the possessors of wings.”