Proverbs 1:17

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

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

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

When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away.

Nobody robs a bank with everyone watching,

Truly, to no purpose is the net stretched out before the eyes of the bird:

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

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

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.”

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.”