Anthony,

That's the NABRE translation. Let's look at a few other translations to get a feel for the gist of the passage:

I think it's obvious that the NABRE is not very clear here. Let me answer with a personal story. (I might as well make some good out of the experience.) As a Catholic, I take special joy in celebrating Easter, the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ.

There is an ancient Christian custom, especially in the Byzantine Eastern churches, of using a special greeting during the Easter season; one person says, "Christ is risen!" and the receiver responds, "He is truly risen!".

In Byzantine churches after Easter liturgy, everyone exchanges this greeting, which is shared literally dozens of times during the liturgy. I am gung-ho on attending the Easter Vigil liturgy, but it runs late into the night. After attending Easter Vigil one year, giddy with Paschal joy, without giving it much thought, I texted my best friend, who is a Pentecostal, "Christ is risen!" In no uncertain terms he expressed his displeasure with me for waking him up. Clearly, I had not studied this verse.

All the verse says is, don't wake your neighbor up early in the morning, no matter how well-intentioned you are!

Eric

Hi, Anthony —

Just to add to my colleague's fine answer, let me note what the NABRE says in the foot notes under this verse:

27:14 One interpretation takes the proverb as humorous and the other takes it as serious:

(1) an overly loud and ill-timed greeting (lit., “blessing”) invites the response of a curse rather than a “blessing” (greeting);
(2) the loud voice suggests hypocrisy in the greeting.

Also, my 1954 Catholic Commentary on Holy Scriptures said:

14a "in the night": "morning" 14b. "it shall be reckoned a curse to him",
the neighbor. Excessive demonstrations of affection are suspect.

Hope this helps,

Mike