Language-specific Insights

complete verse (Proverbs 20:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 20:29:

Kupsabiny: “Elders are honored due to their grey hair,
and/but the youth are praised because of their strength.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “People praise the strength of young men,
and they honor the grey hair of the aged.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “(It is) pride of the young-ones their strength, and (it is) honor of the old-ones their being-old.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “That which is the cause-of- unmarried-men -being-praised is their strength, but the old-men, it is their gray-hair.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “We honor/admire young people because they are strong,
but we respect old people more because they are wise.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 21:31:

Kupsabiny: “A person may prepare his soldiers,
but he who makes those soldiers to win (be victorious) is God.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “A horse can be made ready for battle,
but victory or defeat is in the hand of the Lord.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Even the horses are already prepared for war, only the LORD can-cause- to -win.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Even though soldiers prepare their horses for war, it is nonetheless God who is responsible for their winning-the-victory.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “We can get horses ready to fight in a battle,
but Yahweh is the one who enables us to win victories/defeat our enemies.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:3:

Kupsabiny: “Do not desire (be greedy for) delicious food, for it may become a stumbling block for you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Don’t be greedy for the feast that he serves.
because he might be trying to trick you
(put you under obligation to him).” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “[You (sing.)] do- not -crave for a delicious food which he had-prepared, for he might only tests your (sing.) ways.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Do not (sing.) crave the collectively-delicious foods, because it-is-possible that that is his means-of-tricking you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:35:

Kupsabiny: “‘I have been beaten but I did not see (it). When will this sleep be over that we may drink again?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Then you will say, "They beat me. But I did not feel it.
When they beat me I was not even aware of it.
When will I wake up, and be able to drink again?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “You (sing.) will-say, ‘There was-(someone) who hit and beat me, but I did not fell (it). When shall- I -recover so-that I can-drink again?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “And you (sing.) will say in your (sing.) thoughts, ‘There-is probably someone who hit/boxed-me or clubbed-me, but it certainly does not hurt. There-is-nothing that I feel. Why am I not able-to-get-up so-that I will yet drink?’” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 24:32:

Kupsabiny: “I have learned something.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Seeing that a thought came to my heart,
and I learned something,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When I saw it, I think carefully, and I learned this lesson:” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “When I saw that, there-was-something that I learned.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 26:2:

Kupsabiny: “When/If an innocent person is cursed, it does not stick/catch (him)
like a swallow does not touch down on the ground.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “A curse given needlessly will have no effect.
It will fly away flapping its wings like a sparrow,
and it will speed away like a swallow.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “A curse can- not -harm you (sing.) if you (sing.) do not have sin. This is like a bird who just passes-by and does not roost.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “A curse that has no basis will not stick, it is like a flying bird that has no place-to-land.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “Like birds that fly by and do not alight/land on anything,
if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 27:6:

Kupsabiny: “It is better for your friends to cause you pain,
than when your enemy embraces you.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Even though a friend gives you heartache,
you need not be afraid.
but the kisses of an enemy are frightening.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “A hurtful rebuke of a friend has a good purpose, but a kiss of an enemy can- not -be-trusted.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “You (sing.) can trust the motives of a friend whose advice causes-hurt, but the many kisses of an enemy are just-lies.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “If a friend criticizes you, he is a good friend and you can trust him;
but if one of your enemies kisses you, he is probably wanting to deceive you.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 28:11:

Kupsabiny: “Rich people take themselves to be wise,
but a poor and understanding person knows that it is no so.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Rich people think they are wise.
But poor people who have insight
can see right through them. [Lit.: recognize them]” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “The wealthy ones think that they are already very wise, but a poor man who has understanding knows what kind of people they really are.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “The rich think-incorrectly that they are wise, but the poor-person who is skilled in distinguishing the behavior of people, he knows the truth of it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “Many rich people think that they are wise,
but poor people who have good sense will find out whether rich people really are wise or not.” (Source: Translation for Translators)