SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 1:26

1:26–27

In 1:26 the writer used two similar terms: “calamity” and “terror.” In the Hebrew of the next verse he used the same terms but changed the order (chiasm), but the Berean Standard Bible does not follow the Hebrew order. He also added a simile to each line: “dread comes like a storm” and “destruction like a whirlwind.” In the last line he added two other synonyms: “distress” and “anguish.” By organizing these verses in this way, he created the impression of an intense, certain, and sudden disaster. It may not be natural to use a chiasm in your language. It is also unlikely that your language will have the same range of parallel terms, but you should try to keep the implication of increasing or fearful disasters. Because the New International Version retains the parallelism of the original, it will be used in the Display for these verses.

1:26

Notice that the New International Version retains the parallel parts that are similar in meaning in the Hebrew:

26a
I in turn will laugh at your disaster ; (New International Version)

26b
I will mock when calamity overtakes you — (New International Version)

1:26a–b

(New International Version) I in turn: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “I also.” It shifts the focus from the foolish behavior of the people in Wisdom’s audience to the reaction that Wisdom will have when they face judgment. Some other ways to express this shift of focus in English are:

I, for my part (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
As for me, I will…

(New International Version) will laugh at…will mock: These verbs are parallel, but mock has a stronger meaning. It means to ridicule or make fun of someone.

(New International Version) your disaster…when calamity overtakes you: The Hebrew word that the New International Version translates as disaster refers to any sudden event that causes great damage or destruction. In Hebrew, the parallel word translated as calamity is literally “terror/panic” or “dread.” For example:

I will mock when panic strikes you (New Revised Standard Version)

The New Jerusalem Bible is similar:

I shall jeer when terror befalls you. (New Jerusalem Bible)

However, the Hebrew phrase that the New International Version translates as calamity is literally “your calamity.” This phrase may mean “the terror that you feel” (as in the New Revised Standard Version above) or “what causes you terror.” You may translate it either way. Together, the two lines refer to a disaster that causes people to be afraid.

(New International Version) overtakes: In Hebrew, this word is literally “comes.” In contexts like this verse, it implies “comes as a consequence.” So another way to translate this verse is:

I will scoff when the dreadful disaster you deserve comes.

General Comment on 1:26a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts in this verse. See 1:26a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 3:3

3:3

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

3a
Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you ;

3b
bind them around your neck,

3c
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 3:3b and 3:3c use metaphors to restate and reinforce the meaning of 3:3a.

3:3a–c

These three parallel lines all have a similar meaning. They indicate that the son should make “loving devotion” and “faithfulness” a permanent part of his character, so that he will always demonstrate these qualities in his actions and thoughts.

3:3a

Never let loving devotion or faithfulness leave you: In Hebrew, this command is more literally “Love and faithfulness, may they not leave you.” This command is an indirect way to say that the son should not stop loving and being faithful. Another way to translate this command is:

Do not stop showing true love and loyalty.

In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this as a positive command. For example:

Always be loving and trustworthy.

loving devotion or faithfulness: The word pair loving devotion and faithfulness occurs in three other verses in Proverbs (14:22b, 16:6a, 20:28a). Most scholars agree that in all these verses loving devotion and faithfulness are qualities that people show, rather than qualities that God shows.

English versions do not specify whether people show these qualities to God or to other people. It is recommended that you maintain the same ambiguity if that is possible in your language.

If your language requires that you specify the object of love and faithfulness, then it is recommended that you specify other people. Throughout Proverbs, qualities such as love, kindness, trustworthiness, and justice are directed toward other people, especially toward those who are poor or oppressed. This interpretation also fits better with the result in 3:4, winning favor with both God and man.

loving devotion: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as loving devotion has several aspects of meaning:

(a) steadfastness, loyalty

(b) love

A number of English versions translate one aspect of the meaning. For example:

love (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
loyalty (Good News Translation)
-or-
kindness (New Century Version)

The New Jerusalem Bible has two aspects:

faithful love (New Jerusalem Bible)

In some languages, it may be possible to express all three aspects. For example:

consistent/unchanging love and kindness

Translate this term in a way that fits naturally in the context.

faithfulness: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as faithfulness has two main senses. When it refers to speech, it usually means “truth” or “truthfulness,” but here it refers to the character quality of “trustworthiness” or “reliability.”

3:3b

bind them around your neck: This command is a metaphor. In this metaphor, love and faithfulness are compared to a necklace or to a signet ring that is hung on a chain around the son’s neck. A person who wears a ring or necklace has it with him wherever he goes. In the same way, the son is supposed to display these qualities in his character at all times. Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Change it to a simile. For example:

Wear them like a necklace. (New Century Version)

• Change it to a simile and make one or more points of similarity explicit. For example:

Let love and loyalty always show like a necklace (Contemporary English Version)

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

Make sure that these qualities/things are always part of your character.

In some cultures, a ring or necklace implies an ornament that can be taken off at any time. If that is true in your culture, it may be better to translate the meaning directly or to use a figure of speech with the correct meaning in your language.

3:3c

write them on the tablet of your heart: This is another metaphor. The person addressed should permanently keep these virtues within his heart/mind. He should make them an unchanging part of his character just as the ten commandments were permanently engraved on a stone tablet.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 3:35

3:35

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning.

35a
The wise will inherit honor,

35b but fools are held up to shame.

3:35a

The wise will inherit honor: In this context, the word inherit means “gain” or “obtain.” In some languages, only possessions or property can be “inherited,” so inherit honor may not be a natural expression. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

will gain an honorable reputation (Good News Translation)
-or-
will be praised (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
shall obtain honor (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

3:35b

but fools are held up to shame: The meaning of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as are held up is uncertain. But many scholars agree that in this context the meaning of this word is similar to the meaning of “inherit” in 3:35a.

Other ways to translate this clause are:

but fools will be disgraced (New Century Version)
-or-
all that fools inherit is contempt (New Jerusalem Bible)

fools: In Hebrew, this word for fools (kǝsilim) refers to someone who does what is stupid and wrong because he is mentally lazy and self-satisfied.

General Comment on 3:35a–b

In both of these parallel clauses, the text does not say who will honor the wise or who will shame the fools. If it is necessary in your language to say who will do these things, use a general term such as “people” or “someone.” For example:

35a If people are wise, ⌊someone⌋ will honor them,

35b but if people are fools, ⌊someone⌋ will shame them.

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a phrase such as “there are” to introduce a general subject. For example:

35a If you are wise, ⌊there are people⌋ who will praise you,

35b but if you are a fool, ⌊there are those⌋ who will disgrace you.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 5:5

5:5

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

5a
Her feet go down to death ;

5b
her steps lead straight to Sheol.

In 5:4, the focus was the result of sleeping with an adulteress. In 5:5, attention changes to the woman herself. In some languages, this change of focus may need to be made explicit. See the first meaning line in the Display for 5:5a–b (combined/reordered) for one way to do this.

5:5a–b

Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol: The phrase Her feet is a figure of speech (synecdoche) that refers to the woman herself. She is described as going down to death. The Jews commonly thought of the place of the dead as being “down,” under the earth. The parallel clause her steps lead straight to Sheol indicates that the woman is walking deliberately and directly toward the place of the dead.

In Hebrew, verses 5:5–6 mention only the woman. However, in the context of 5:3–4, verse 5:5 contains an implied warning to the young man that the woman will lead him to the same place. Some English versions make this explicit. For example:

She will take you down to the world of the dead; the road she walks is the road to death. (Good News Translation)

Other versions leave this warning implied. In deciding whether to make this information explicit, be sure to consider the whole context.

to death…to Sheol: In Hebrew, death is parallel to Sheol. Both terms refer here to the place where dead people stay.

5:5b

Sheol: In Hebrew, Sheol refers to the place of the dead. For more information on ways to translate “Sheol,” see the note on 1:12a.

General Comment on 5:5a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder and/or combine the parallel parts. For example:

That woman is going directly toward Sheol, the place of the dead.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 6:14

6:14a–b

14a
With deceit in his heart he devises evil; 14b he continually sows discord: There are two ways to interpret the structure of this verse:

(1) Verse 6:14b is one of six expressions (6:12b–14b) that describe the scoundrel. For example:

14b and are always starting arguments (New Century Version)

(2) Verse 6:14b describes the main activity or purpose of the scoundrel, who is described in 6:12b–14a. For example:

14a Trickery in his heart, always scheming evil,

14b he sows dissension. (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and scholars.

6:14a

With deceit in his heart he devises evil: In Hebrew, the phrase With deceit in his heart is literally “overturnings in his heart.” It refers to the evil, trickery, or deceitfulness that is in a person’s mind or heart. Remember that in Hebrew, the heart refers primarily to a person’s ability to think and make decisions. See the notes on heart in 2:2a–b and 4:4a.

A person who devises evil makes evil plans that will cause harm to someone. Other ways to translate this line are:

They make evil plans in their hearts (New Century Version)
-or-
He devises evil…with a twisted mind (God’s Word)

6:14b

he continually sows discord: The word discord refers to quarrels or misunderstandings between people. The meaning of this phrase can be expressed as:

stir up trouble constantly (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
always starting arguments (New Century Version)

General Comment on 6:12–14

The Hebrews believed that the eye was the entrance to a person’s will, which was located in the heart. The hands and feet carried out the desires of the will, and the mouth expressed what was in the person’s thoughts and will. Together, these three areas of the body (heart and eyes, mouth, hands and feet) imply that the wicked person’s entire personality was evil. These three areas of the body also occur in the next paragraph.

You may want to add a footnote that supplies this information, since many readers will not be aware of these implications.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 7:11

7:11–12

Verses 7:11–12 contain further information about the woman mentioned in 7:10. Some versions, like the New International Version, put these two verses in parentheses, because they describe the woman’s general pattern of behavior, not what happened in this particular story.

If your language has a way to indicate background information that is not part of the main action of the story, you will want to use it here. Another way to make clear that these verses do not describe the events of this story is to refer to immoral wives in general. For example, other ways to translate 7:11a are:

She was the brash, rebellious type (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
She was one of those women who are loud… (Contemporary English Version)

7:11a

She is loud: The word loud describes the woman’s voice. She speaks in a loud and boisterous manner.

and defiant: The word defiant indicates that the woman has a “stubborn” (New Century Version) and “rebellious” (God’s Word) attitude. She deliberately does what her husband does not want her to do.

7:11b

her feet do not remain at home: This phrase is a figure of speech (synecdoche) in which the woman’s feet represent the woman herself. It means that the woman never stays at home.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 8:16

8:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning.

16a By me princes rule,

16b and all nobles who govern justly.

There is an ellipsis in 8:16b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words. For example:

16b and ⌊by me⌋ all nobles who govern justly ⌊rule⌋ .

8:16a

By me princes rule: The word princes refers to anyone who belongs to the ruling class. It does not refer specifically to the sons of kings. For example:

Rulers lead with my help (New Living Translation (2004))

8:16b

and all nobles who govern justly: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Hebrew manuscripts have: “nobles, all judges of righteousness.” For example:

and nobles, all who govern rightly (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) Other Hebrew manuscripts and the LXX have: “nobles, all judges of the earth.” For example:

and nobles govern the earth (Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), because it is more likely to have been the original text. Also it better fits the parallel idea of 8:15b. As a practical translation issue, the content of text (2) would also be implied in text (1), since the “judges of righteousness” are on the earth.

nobles: The word nobles refers to a man who belongs to the ruling class.

who govern justly: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “all judges of righteousness.” It refers here to any government leader who governs or rules in a just or fair manner. It does not refer specifically to someone who presides over a law court. Another way to translate this phrase is:

so do all important people who judge fairly (New Century Version)

General Comment on 8:15–16

The four lines of these two verses are all parallel. In some languages, there may not be four different words for different kinds of rulers, so it may be more natural to combine these verses. For example:

15-16 It is by means of me that kings and other leaders rule their countries and make good/just laws.
-or-
15-16 I am the one that helps kings and all other leaders in the government to rule ⌊their countries/people well⌋ and to make laws that are good/just.

The parallel parts of each verse may also be combined and/or reordered. See the Display for 8:15a–b (combined/reordered) and 8:16a–b (combined/reordered).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 9:12

9:12

This verse contains parallel parts that contrast in meaning.

12a
If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage ;

12b but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.

This verse concludes the paragraph that contrasts the responses of wise people and mockers to wisdom. However, there is no explicit connection with the preceding verse.

9:12a–b

you are wise to your own advantage…you alone will bear the consequences: In Hebrew, the clause you are wise to your own advantage is literally “you are wise for yourself.” This clause means that the wise person will personally gain the benefit from being wise.

The clause you alone will bear the consequences has a parallel meaning. It means that the mocker alone will bear the responsibility. Here are two examples of other ways to translate this verse:

If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer. (Good News Translation)

9:12b

scoff: See the note on 9:7a–b.

bear the consequences: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bear the consequences is literally “carry.” In this context, it means to bear the responsibility or punishment.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020