SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020 – Page 90

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 24:14

24:14

14a Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul.

14b If you find it, there is a future for you,

14c and your hope will never be cut off.

24:14a

Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul: In Hebrew, this line is literally “Thus know wisdom to/for your soul.” It indicates that the benefits of wisdom for a person’s life or inner being (soul) are similar to the benefits of honey.

Know: In some languages, it is not natural to use this verb as a command. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

Remember that…
-or-
You should be aware that…
-or-
It is true that…

therefore: In Hebrew, this word is literally “thus/so.” Here it introduces a comparison. Some other ways to introduce this comparison are:

Likewise, know that wisdom… (NET Bible)
-or-
In the same way, you need to realize that wisdom…

wisdom is sweet to your soul: In Hebrew, the similarity of wisdom to honey is not explicit. The Berean Standard Bible has made explicit the words is sweet. Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

wisdom is good for the soul (Good News Translation)
-or-
wisdom is like honey for you (New International Version (2011))
-or-
wisdom has similar benefits for your life

24:14b–c

These two lines describe the benefits of finding wisdom. In order to gain these benefits, a person first needs to gain wisdom.

If you find it: Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If you gain/get it
-or-
If you become wise

there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off: See the notes on 23:18a and 23:18b, where these identical clauses occur. The only difference is that in Hebrew, verse 23:18a begins with two words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “For surely.”

General Comment on 24:13–14

In the first verse of this saying, the teacher commands his son to eat honey. He does not talk about wisdom until the second verse. In some languages, it may not be clear that the teacher’s main advice is about gaining wisdom rather than eating honey. One way to make the emphasis on wisdom clearer is to reorder some parts of the comparison. For example:

My child, you need to know that wisdom is like honey. You should eat honey, because it is good ⌊for your health⌋ and it is also delicious. Similarly, ⌊it is important that you become wise.⌋ If are wise, then your hope for ⌊a good life in⌋ the future will certainly be fulfilled.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 31:18

31:18

The wife’s success in trading (v. 18a) encourages her to work until late at night (v. 18b).

18a She sees that her gain is good,

18b and her lamp is not extinguished at night.

31:18a

She sees that her gain is good: This line is literally “She tastes that her profit is good.” The word “tastes” is figurative. It means “knows or learns by experience.” There are two ways to interpret this line:

(1) The wife knows that her business activities are making a good profit. For example:

She sees that her business goes well (Revised English Bible)

(2) The wife knows how her business works. She understands the value of her merchandise and the right time to trade. With this interpretation, she does not necessarily know whether her business is successful or not. For example:

She knows the value of everything she makes (Good News Translation)

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

Some other ways to translate this line are:

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
She senses that her gain is good (New American Standard Bible)

31:18b

and her lamp is not extinguished at night: This statement is a hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration). It means that the wife keeps her lamp burning until late at night so that she can keep working.

lamp: The word lamp refers to an oil-burning lamp with a wick.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

• Keep the hyperbole. For example:

her lamp keeps burning the entire night

• Translate the meaning without the hyperbole. For example:

Her lamp burns late at night. (God’s Word)
-or-
and under lamplight she works deep into the night (The Voice)
-or-
and works late into the night (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 1:31

1:31

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

31a So they will eat the fruit of their own way,

31b and be filled with their own devises.

This verse gives the consequences/results of the behavior in 1:29–30.

1:31a

So they will eat the fruit of their own way: The clause they will eat the fruit of their own way is a figure of speech. It means “they will suffer the consequences of their conduct/behavior.”

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

• Keep the figure of speech, but make explicit part of the meaning. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) makes explicit the words “bitter” and “living”:

Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way (New Living Translation (2004))

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

So then, you will get what you deserve. (Good News Translation)

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

Therefore, since you chose to plant evil, you will have to harvest the bitter crop that it bears.

1:31b

and be filled with their own devices: In Hebrew, this expression is literally “be filled from their schemes.” There are two ways to interpret this expression:

(1) The phrase “the fruit” from 31a does not apply. This line describes a parallel but different consequence to the behavior in 1:29–30. It means “filled to the point of disgust with their own plans.” For example:

until you are stuffed full with your own schemes (Contemporary English Version)

(2) The phrase “the fruit” from 31a does apply. This line has a similar meaning to the first line, and it means “filled with the bitter consequences that their plans have produced.” For example:

you will get what you planned for others (New Century Version)

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

In some languages, it may be clearer to translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

your own actions will make you sick (Good News Translation)

devices: Another translation for devices is:

what you planned for others (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 3:8

3:8

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

8a This will bring healing to your body

8b and refreshment to your bones.

This verse expresses the result of obeying the commands in 3:7b.

3:8a–b

healing…refreshment: The parallel terms that the Berean Standard Bible translates as healing and refreshment are literally “healing” and “drink.” In this context, healing probably refers not to recovery from an illness, but to restoration of full strength and well-being. “Drink” is a figure of speech (metonymy) that represents its result, namely, refreshment or strengthening.

to your body…to your bones: The parallel terms body and bones are figures of speech (synecdoche) that refer to the whole person. The bones are specified, because people in Old Testament times considered strong, healthy bones to be a sign of good health. Most scholars feel that this verse refers primarily to physical health and overall well-being. Thus, the New Living Translation (1996) has:

you will gain renewed health and vitality (New Living Translation (1996))

Here is another way to translate this:

This will make you healthy, and you will feel strong. (Contemporary English Version)

Be careful not to imply that the young man being spoken to was wounded and in pain.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 4:5

4:5

Notice the parallelism. The two positive commands and two negative commands are all similar in meaning.

5a
Get wisdom, get understanding ;

5b
do not forget my words or turn from them.

4:5a

Get wisdom, get understanding: In this context, the commands to Get wisdom and get understanding imply that the son should acquire wisdom and understanding by learning what the father teaches. Another way to translate these commands is:

Learn to be wise and develop good judgment (New Living Translation (1996))

understanding: This word last occurred in 4:1b.

4:5b

do not forget…or turn from them: The verb turn is used here in the figurative sense of turning aside from a path. This second verb has a stronger meaning than the first. The action of forgetting may be unintentional; turning aside is deliberate.

In some languages, it may not be possible to keep the figure of turning from a person’s words. Another way to translate the meaning without using the figure of speech is:

do not…ignore what I say (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 4:5a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to give the negative commands first. For example:

Do not forget or ⌊intentionally⌋ ignore my words, but rather try to become wise and to develop understanding.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 5:10

5:10

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. These parts are arranged in the form of a chiasm. The parts in 5:10b occur in the opposite order from the parallel parts in 5:10a.

10a lest strangers feast on your wealth,

10b and your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.

There is an ellipsis in 5:10b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing word from 5:10a. For example:

10b and ⌊lest⌋ your labors enrich the house of a foreigner.

5:10a–b

strangers…the house of a foreigner: The house of a foreigner is parallel to strangers and probably refers to the family or household of that person or persons.

5:10a

feast on your wealth: In some languages, it is not natural to speak figuratively of “feasting” on someone’s wealth. If that is true in your language, it may be better to translate this phrase without using a figure of speech. For example:

enjoy your wealth (New Century Version)
-or-
take all your wealth (Good News Translation)

5:10b

your labors: The phrase your labors is parallel to “your wealth.” It is a figure of speech (metonymy) in which labor represents the wealth that the young man will earn through working. One way to express this idea is:

what you worked so hard for will go to someone else (New Century Version)

General Comment on 5:10a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. See the Display for 5:10a–b (combined/reordered).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 6:19

6:19a

a false witness who gives false testimony: The phrase false witness refers to someone who testifies what they know is untrue. Their testimony may be given either in court or in an informal setting. So it may be better not to specify “those who tell lies in court” as the Contemporary English Version has done. The phrase translated as gives false testimony is literally “breathes/blows lies.” This poetic expression may imply that they lie repeatedly or that it is easy for them to lie. For example:

who lies with every breath (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
who tells one lie after another (Good News Translation)

Proverbs 6:19a is almost identical to 14:5b. (For other verses in regard to being a truthful or false witness, see 12:17, 14:25, 19:5, 19:9, 21:28, 24:28, and 25:18.)

6:19b

and one who stirs up discord: Notice that stirs up discord was also the last item in the description of the scoundrel in 6:12–14. For discord see the note on 6:14b.

among brothers: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as brothers is not limited to one’s siblings or close relatives. It may also refer here to friends, associates, townmates, or fellow countrymen. Some other ways to translate this expression are:

among families (New Century Version)
-or-
among friends (Good News Translation)
-or-
in the community

Section 6:20–35

Ninth lesson: If you commit adultery, you will be severely punished

This lesson may be summarized as follows: The son should heed his parents’ teaching, because it will keep him from the dangers of adultery (6:20–24). He should strictly avoid being tempted by another man’s wife. An affair with such a woman will have inevitable and disastrous consequences (6:25–33), resulting from the jealous fury of the husband (6:34–35).

Some other headings for this section are:

Warning Against Adultery (New International Version)
-or-
Avoid adultery
-or-
More Advice About Avoiding Adultery (God’s Word)
-or-
The terrible consequences of committing adultery

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 7:16

7:16

Notice the parallel parts that have similar meaning:

16a I have decked my bed with coverings,

16b
with colored linen from Egypt.

Notice that the first line is more general. The second line adds specific details.

7:16a–b

I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt: In this verse and in 7:17, the woman goes on to tell him that she has prepared everything necessary for making love in luxurious surroundings.

bed: The word translated as bed refers to a bed frame on which rich people spread their bed coverings. (Poor people slept on mats on the floor.) It was not a “couch” (New Revised Standard Version) or sofa in the modern sense of a piece of furniture where people sit. In languages that do not have a word for bed, a more general expression like “sleeping place” may be used.

colored linen: The coverings that the woman had arranged on the bed were expensive woven material imported from Egypt. The cloth was probably multicolored, but scholars are not sure that it was linen. The New Living Translation (1996) clearly expresses the idea of luxury:

My bed is spread with colored sheets of finest linen imported from Egypt. (New Living Translation (1996))

The Contemporary English Version is an example of a translation that does not specify linen :

The sheets on my bed are bright-colored cloth from Egypt. (Contemporary English Version)

For languages that use parallelism, the NET Bible provides a good model. It also makes explicit the idea of luxury:

16a I have spread my bed with elegant coverings,

16b with richly colored fabric from Egypt. (NET Bible)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 2020