wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

complete verse (Luke 7:35)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 7:35:

  • Noongar: “But you can see the God’s truth in all people who hear and hold the truth.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But even so, we know that God’s purpose(s) is/are wise [lit., clear] if we look-at the actions of his followers.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But,’ said Isa, ‘the people who follow God testify that God’s wisdom is great.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However,’ said Jesus, ‘by means of the customs of the people whose trust in God is true, we can tell, that God is really wise.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But even if that is what you say, the correctness of God’s wisdom will nevertheless be seen in the lives of those who receive it.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But even though it’s like that, it’s evident that Juan’s and my teaching is indeed correct because of its results in the lives of those who believe/obey.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

See also wisdom is vindicated by all her children.

Translation commentary on Luke 7:35

Exegesis:

kai edikaiōthē hē sophia apo pantōn tōn teknōn autēs ‘and the wisdom is proved right by all its children.’ The meaning of this saying in its present context is far from clear, and the interpretations vary considerably (see commentaries). There is no point in enumerating them. It will suffice to deal with a few questions which may influence the translation. (1) The clause sounds very much like a proverb which is applied by Jesus to the present situation in which both John the Baptist and he are rejected by their contemporaries. Since edikaiōthē hē sophia does not appear to refer to this rejection but rather to suggest some form of acceptance, it seems justified to interpret kai as a weak ‘and yet,’ or ‘but,’ though the (probable) proverbial nature of the saying does not commend an emphatic rendering of kai. (2) On the same grounds sophia seems to have some reference to Jesus himself, whether it is personified by him or refers to the ‘will of God’ (v. 30), which is realized both in John and in Jesus. (3) teknon ‘children’ of wisdom are those who accept wisdom as their true guide in life. They vindicate wisdom, i.e. they prove that wisdom is right, by their life, and/or by their acceptance of the message of John and of Jesus.

Translation:

Wisdom. To avoid that the word be taken as a reference to human wisdom one may better add a qualification, e.g. ‘God’s wisdom,’ ‘God’s wise ways,’ ‘that God is wise.’ For the noun see on 2.40.

Is justified by all her children, or in active construction, ‘all children of wisdom justify her, or, acknowledge/prove her to be right.’ For the figurative use of ‘children of’ cf. such renderings as, ‘people that spring from’ (Balinese), ‘those who belong to/accept,’ and cf. “all who are really wise” (An American Translation).

Adjustments and shifts like those just mentioned may result in such renderings as, ‘the knowledge of God receives right from all people that spring from it’ (cf. Sranan Tongo), ‘God’s Wisdom is known to be right by the doing of it’ (Kele), ‘God’s wise ways are acknowledged as right by all those who follow them,’ ‘all whom God has made wise acknowledge/prove him to be wise (or, the really wise One).’ Cf. also Good News Translation.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:35

7:35

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But is most often translated as “and.” However, in this context there is clear contrast between 7:31–34 and 7:35. The Jewish leaders rejected John and Jesus, but Jesus defended John and himself with the proverb in this verse. Many English versions introduce the verse with a conjunction that expresses contrast. For example:

Nevertheless (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Yet (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
however (Good News Translation)

In some languages a conjunction may not be needed. Indicate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

wisdom is vindicated by all her children: This sentence may be a Jewish saying or proverb. In it, wisdom is talked about as if it were a person. Those who follow wisdom (those who act wisely) are called her children. The general meaning is that wisdom is proven to be truly wisdom by the good results that come from it. Here Jesus was speaking of people such as himself and John and those who followed his teachings and John’s. Such people prove that they are truly wise by their good character and the good results of wisdom in their lives.

Some ways to translate this include:

wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Wisdom is shown to be right by what its followers do. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
wisdom is proved right by all its results (God’s Word)

This is a passive clause. In some languages it is more natural to use an active verb here. For example:

all the children of wisdom prove her to be right

wisdom: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wisdom refers to understanding and insight. This insight results in actions that are right and sensible. In some languages it may be natural to translate this idea as a verbal expression or in some other way. In some languages you may have an idiom to express this. Some ways to translate it are:

being wise
-or-
understanding ⌊things⌋
-or-
thinking wisely

vindicated: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as vindicated is literally “justified.” Here it means “shown/proved to be right.” It is the same word that was translated as “acknowledged God’s justice” in 7:29b.

by all her children: The phrase her children refers to the children of “wisdom.” Here wisdom is talked about as if it were a person and had children. In some languages this may not be natural, and you may need to translate the meaning more explicitly. For example:

by all who accept it (Good News Translation)
-or-
by what it does (New Century Version)
-or-
by those who follow it

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