17:8
In this proverb, the second line further explains the first line.
8a A bribe is a charm to its giver;
8b wherever he turns, he succeeds.
The overall meaning is that a person who gives a bribe expects it to work like a magic charm and make him successful. The proverb does not express approval or disapproval concerning the giving of bribes. It simply states the facts about the attitude of the person who offers them.
17:8a
A bribe is a charm: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as charm is literally “stone of favor.” It means “stone that brings favor.” This line is a metaphor. The metaphor compares a bribe to a magic stone, amulet or good luck charm. The similarity is that both have magical or miraculous results.
to its giver: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “in the eyes of its owner.” In other words, in the opinion of the person who gives the bribe, it works like a charm.
If a literal translation of this metaphor is not clear in your language, some other ways to translate it are:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
A bribe seems to work like magic for those who give it (New Living Translation (1996))
• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Some people think they can pay others to do anything they ask. (New Century Version)
17:8b
wherever he turns, he succeeds: This line means that whenever the person offers a bribe, he is successful. The bribe accomplishes what he wants. It is probably implied from 17:8a that this is the opinion of the one who gives the bribes. A number of versions make this explicit. For example:
They think it will work every time. (New Century Version)
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