suffer fools gladly

The now commonly-used English idiom “suffer fools gladly” (meaning to deal with or tolerate ignorant people or behavior) was first coined in 1526 in the English New Testament translation of William Tyndale (in the spelling suffre foles gladly). (Source: Crystal 2010, p. 283)

For other idioms in English that were coined by Bible translation, see here.

complete verse (2 Corinthians 11:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of 2 Corinthians 11:19:

  • Uma: “For it appears that you are happy with people who are stupid, for you say/think that you are smart!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because you really know how to think, you are not tired to listen to the words of the stupid ones!” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And since you are such wise people, you really know how to endure the words of a stupid person.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because there you are putting-up-with foolish people staying-with you. You are made-happy besides! Wow such wisdom you have!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Probably you will put up with this foolish boasting of mine because you happily put up with the work of those fools there, even though you say that you are wise/understanding people!” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Because you think that you now are wise, you can now be patient with whatever word you are told from people who lost their minds.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on 2 Corinthians 11:19

Paul’s language here is full of sarcasm as he refers to his opponents in Corinth as fools. He does not really think that the Corinthians “are so wise.” Rather Paul thinks that they are very unwise because they gladly tolerate fools. In order to avoid suggesting that Paul’s words should be taken literally, translators may wish to follow the model of Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, which says “you who consider yourselves to be so wise.” Alternatively translators may wish to include a note, as Williams does in his translation: “keenest sarcasm; even more sarcastic in next sentence.”

On the translation of the verb bear with, see 2 Cor. 11.1 above.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellingworth, Paul. A Handbook on Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Corinthians 11:19

11:19 For you gladly tolerate fools, since you are so wise.

For you (plur.) are so wise that you ⌊very⌋ gladly tolerate fools!
-or-
You claim to be so wise, but you gladly submit to fools!

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