SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 5:9

5:9–10

Both of these verses begin with a word that the Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, and Revised Standard Version translate as “lest.” This word introduces the bad consequences of not obeying the command in 5:8. The consequences are that the young man will have to give the honor and wealth that he has worked for to others.

The four lines of these two verses are parallel. Notice that the parallel parts “others” and “strangers” in the first line of each verse are plural. The parallel parts “one who is cruel” and “house of a foreigner” in the last line of each verse are singular, though they may refer to a collective group. Although they are more specific than the parallel parts in the first two lines, the text does not identify who these individuals are. See the note on 5:9a–b.

5:9

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. The English Standard Version has been used as the source line for 5:9a, because it follows the recommended interpretation.

9a lest you give your honor to others (English Standard Version)

9b and your years to one who is cruel;

There is an ellipsis in 5:9b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 5:9a. For example:

9b and ⌊lest you give⌋ your years to one who is cruel

5:9a–b

to others…to one who is cruel: These phrases are parallel. They refer to an unidentified person or persons who are cruel, ruthless, without mercy. In some languages, keeping the parallel lines may wrongly imply that others and one who is cruel refer to different people. If that is true in your language, you may want to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines. See 5:9a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for two ways to do this.

5:9a

(English Standard Version) lest you give your honor to others: There are two ways to interpret the Hebrew word that the English Standard Version translates here as your honor. It can refer to either honor or (manly) vigor:

(1) The word refers to honor, respect, or reputation. For example:

you will surrender your reputation to others (God’s Word)

(2) The word refers to strength or vigor. For example:

you will surrender your vigor to others (Revised English Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most commentaries. “Honor” may be a figure of speech that represents the source of the young man’s honor. His honor or reputation could come from his wealth or from the children that he would be forced to turn over to others. Since there are different interpretations as to the source of his honor, it is recommended that you not specify a particular source.

5:9b

and your years: This phrase is probably a figure of speech (metonymy) that represents what the young man would produce or earn during his best years, when he is in the prime of life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

everything you have achieved in life (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
what you have gained during the best years of your life

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 6:18

6:18a

a heart that devises wicked schemes: The word translated here as heart can refer to a person’s emotions, thoughts, or will. In this context, it refers to the source of a person’s thoughts. For English speakers, this is the mind, so the Good News Translation has:

a mind that thinks up wicked plans (Good News Translation)

In other languages, thinking or planning may be done by other organs of the body (see the note on 4:23a). The whole phrase is a figure of speech (synecdoche) that refers to:

those who make evil plans (Contemporary English Version)

6:18b

feet that run swiftly to evil: The word feet here is another example of synecdoche, in which a part represents the whole. In this case the word feet represents the person who does the action. The phrase feet that run swiftly to evil means that the person is eager or in a hurry to do what is wrong. It does not mean that the person runs quickly. The Contemporary English Version expresses this as:

those who…are quick to do wrong (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 7:15

7:15

So: This word introduces what the woman did as a result of fulfilling her vows and having meat available to eat (7:14).

I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you: This verse does not contain parallel lines. The woman said these words in order to flatter the young man and make him feel important. She implied that she came out of her house for a purpose. She specifically wanted to find him.

I sought you: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I sought you is literally “to seek your face.” This expression implies that the woman looked eagerly and diligently for the young man. For example:

to seek you eagerly (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I wanted to find you (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 8:20

8:20–21

The relationship between 8:20 (Wisdom’s righteousness/justice) and 8:21 (Wisdom’s reward) may be interpreted in various ways: The main interpretations are:

(1) Wisdom does what is right and just in order to reward the people who love her (purpose or motivation). For example:

to endow my friends with my wealth (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) The way that Wisdom does what is right and just is by rewarding the people who love her (means). For example:

giving wealth to those who love me (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most scholars. This interpretation best fits the Hebrew infinitive construction that is used here.

Several English versions start this line with a separate sentence. They leave the relationship implied. For example:

I give wealth to those who love me (New Century Version)
-or-
I endow with riches those who love me (Revised English Bible)

This is also an acceptable way to express the relationship between 8:20 and 8:21.

8:20

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

20a I walk in the way of righteousness,

20b
along the paths of justice,

There is an ellipsis in 8:20b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 8:20a. For example:

20b
⌊I walk⌋ along the paths of justice

8:20a–b

I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice: This verse means that Wisdom habitually does what is right and just/fair. For righteousness (ṣǝdaqah), see 8:18b and 1:3b. For justice, see 1:3b.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 9:16

9:16a–b

The New International Version (2011) has been used as the source line for 9:16a–b for the same reasons as in 9:4a–5a. Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

16a “Let all who are simple come to my house!” (New International Version (2011))

16b To those who have no sense she says, (New International Version (2011))

9:16a

(New International Version (2011)) Let all who are simple come to my house: This line is identical to 9:4a.

9:16b

(New International Version (2011)) To those who have no sense she says: In Hebrew, this line is almost identical to 9:4b. As in 9:4b, the phrase those who have no sense is parallel to “all who are simple” in 9:16a. Both expressions refer to the same group of people.

General Comment on 9:16a–b

As in 9:4b, the two quote introductions function as a single invitation to people who are both inexperienced and without sense. In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts to make this clear. For example:

“You(plur) who are easily deceived and who lack judgment, enter here.
-or-
This is what she says: “Come here, all you who are naive and have no sense.

Although this verse is almost identical to 9:4, the context is different. In 9:4, the ones who say, “Come to my house” are not Wisdom herself, but rather her female servants. And they are not at Wisdom’s house when they give the invitation. By contrast, it is Folly herself who gives the invitation in 9:16, and she is at her own house when she gives it. So in 9:16, it will not be necessary to make explicit the source of the invitation or to identify the owner of the house.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 10:30

10:30

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

30a
The righteous will never be shaken,

30b but the wicked will not inhabit the land.

Together the parallel lines imply that righteous people will live securely in the land. Wicked people will be forcibly removed.

10:30a–b

The righteous…the wicked: In Hebrew, the word righteous is singular. The word wicked is plural. Both words refer to categories of people who share the same character. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

10:30a

The righteous: The word righteous refers to a person who obeys or conforms to God’s moral standard. The same word occurs in 10:31a and 10:32a.

will never be shaken: In Hebrew, this verb phrase means “will never be shaken, overthrown or moved from one’s place.” The parallel contrast in the second line implies here that righteous people will never be forcibly removed ⌊from the land⌋ . In English versions, “from the land” is left implicit. For example:

A righteous person will never be moved (God’s Word)

In some languages, it may be clearer to make this idea explicit in 10:30a. See the meaning lines in the Display.

Some versions also express the meaning positively. For example:

Righteous people will always have security (Good News Translation)

In languages which do not use passive verbs, another way to translate this line is:

No one will be able to remove a righteous person ⌊from his location⌋

10:30b

but the wicked will not inhabit the land: The phrase the land may refer specifically to the land of Israel. It may also refer more generally to “the earth.” See the notes on 2:21a–b and 2:22a–b.

will not inhabit the land: This phrase may imply either that the wicked will be exiled from their own land or that they will die. If they die, they will no longer be in their own land or on the earth.

If possible, translate in a way that implies either exile or death. Some ways that English versions have translated this line are:

but the wicked will be removed from the land (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
but the wicked will not survive in the land (Good News Translation)
-or-
but wicked people will not continue to live in the land (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 11:30

11:30

As translated by versions such as the Berean Standard Bible, the second line adds to the thought of the first line. It is implied that a righteous person wins souls and is wise.

30a The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

30b and he who wins souls is wise.

As translated by versions such as the New Revised Standard Version, the parallel parts contrast in meaning:

30a The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

30b but violence takes lives away. (New Revised Standard Version)

These differences are due to a difference in the text and related differences in interpretation. These will be discussed in the notes on 11:30b.

11:30a

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life: This line is a complex metaphor. The first phrase, The fruit of the righteous, is a figurative expression. It refers to the good results of a righteous person’s life. These good results are compared to a tree whose fruit gives life.

In some languages, a literal translation of this metaphor may be hard to understand. Some other ways to translate it are:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

The godly are like trees that give life-giving fruit. (New Living Translation (1996))

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

What a righteous person does is a source of life to others.

Because tree of life is a metaphor that is used elsewhere, you are encouraged to keep the figure of speech if possible. The phrase tree of life also occurs in 3:18a. See how you translated this phrase there.

11:30b

and he who wins souls is wise: There is a textual issue regarding the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wise. There are also different ways to interpret the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wins souls. In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “takes souls.” The textual and interpretation issues are closely related, so they will be discussed together. The main interpretations are:

(1) The LXX and the Syriac follow a Hebrew text that apparently had ḥamas “violent” or “violence.” The phrase “takes souls” means to take away lives, in other words, to kill people. Since killing people is not wise, versions that follow this interpretation also follow the text that reads “violence/violent.” For example:

but violence results in the taking of life (Revised English Bible)
-or-
but violence takes lives away (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) The Masoretic Text has ḥakam “wise” or “a wise person.” The phrase “takes souls” means to influence people. Since it is wise to influence people, versions that follow this interpretation also follow the text that reads “wise.” For example:

the wise person teaches others how to live (New Century Version)
-or-
and whoever captures souls is wise (English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) for the following reasons:

(a) The verb “take” has many different meanings. But when it occurs with the word souls, it is never used in a good sense. In the other six occurrences of this expression, it always means “take a life” or “take lives” in the sense of “kill.” (See 1:19, the only other occurrence in Proverbs.)

(b) According to several scholars, 2 Samuel 15:6 and Proverbs 6:25 both describe a person who uses influential ideas to “capture” someone else. But neither verse uses the same Hebrew phrase that occurs in the expression “take souls.” Nor does either verse describe a morally good action.

However, since both interpretations are well supported by versions and scholars, it is recommended that you put interpretation (2) in a footnote. A suggested footnote is:

This is what it says in the LXX and Syriac. What it says in the Hebrew (Masoretic Text) is: “the one who ‘takes lives’ is wise.” Some scholars think that ‘takes lives’ means “persuades people” or “saves lives.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 13:3

13:3

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

3a
He who guards his mouth protects his life,

3b but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.

13:3a

He who guards his mouth: In this context, the word mouth is a figure of speech. It represents the words spoken by the mouth. A person who guards his mouth is careful about what he says. He thinks before he speaks, and he avoids speaking too much. Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

• Use a different figure of speech with the same meaning. For example:

Those who control their tongue (New Living Translation (2004))

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

Those who think before they speak

English versions use different pronouns to translate this line:

• Some use “he/his.” For example:

He who guards his mouth preserves his life (New King James Version)

• Some use “those/their.” For example:

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives (New International Version (2011))

• Some use a command with “you.” For example:

Be careful what you say (Good News Translation)

You should use whatever pronouns are natural in your language for a proverb like this.

protects his life: This phrase means “preserves or guards his life from trouble or death.” One implication may be:

will have a long life (New Living Translation (2004))

However, that does not seem to be the main meaning.

13:3b

but the one who opens his lips: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as opens his lips is literally “opens wide his lips.” This idiom may refer to a person who is talkative or who speaks carelessly/rashly. When you translate this idiom, you may express either or both of these two meanings.

invites his own ruin: This phrase means that the person’s careless words will result in his destruction or ruin. This may refer to his reputation being destroyed or to suffering financial loss. It may even refer to losing his life. If possible, you should use an expression that can refer to any of these.

Some ways to translate this line are:

A careless talker destroys himself. (Good News Translation)
-or-
but whoever speaks without thinking will be ruined (New Century Version)
-or-
one who talks too much faces ruin (Revised English Bible)

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020