complete verse (Proverbs 10:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 10:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “If (people) hate one another, it brings strife,
    but when (people) love one another, all/any evil is forgiven.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Hatred brings disputes,
    love covers all evil.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Hatred stirs-up trouble, but love can-forgive all sins.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Hatred, that is the cause of not mutually-understanding, but love, it covers-over even any fault/lack of a companion.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “When we hate others, it causes quarrels,
    but if we love others, we forgive them for the wrong things that they do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 10:12

“Hatred stirs up strife”: “Hatred” refers to extreme dislike or hostility toward others. “Stirs up” translates a verb meaning to arouse, awaken, or incite. “Strife” is plural in the Hebrew and refers to discord, conflict, disharmony, quarrels, and fighting between people.

“But love covers all offenses”: “Love”, the opposite of “Hatred”, refers to harmonious and affectionate relations with positive feelings toward others. “Covers” renders the same Hebrew verb as used in verses 6 and 11 where “conceals” is used. “Covers” is here used metaphorically with the sense of “forgives.” “Offenses” renders a word that is often used in the Old Testament to mean sin against God. It is sometimes used in Proverbs as a personal offense committed by people against each other. This saying is a clear appeal for people to love others instead of making them enemies.

We may translate, for example, “If you hate others, you will fight with them, but if you love them, you will forgive the wrongs they do.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 10:12

10:12

This proverb contrasts the opposite results of hatred and love.

12a
Hatred stirs up dissension,

12b but love covers all transgressions.

A person who is motivated by hatred causes conflict with another person who has wronged him. By contrast, a person who is motivated by love forgives the other person for the wrong that he has done.

10:12a

Hatred stirs up dissension: In this context, the verb stirs up means to start or cause. The word dissension is plural in Hebrew. It refers to misunderstandings, conflicts, or quarrels between people. Another way to translate this line is:

Hate starts quarrels (God’s Word)

10:12b

but love covers all transgressions: The verb covers is the same verb that is used in 10:6b and 10:11b. Here it is used figuratively. It means that love overlooks, excuses, or forgives all wrongs.

all transgressions: This phrase refers to all kinds of offenses or sins that another person commits against the one who loves.

Another way to translate this line is:

but love forgives all offenses (Good News Translation)

The same idea is found in 1 Peter 4:8. If you use cross-references in your translation, you may want to add a footnote such as:

See 1 Peter 4:8.

General Comment on 10:12a–b

There is personification in both lines of this verse. In the first line, “hatred” is described as someone who starts quarrels. In the second line, “love” is described as someone who forgives the wrongs committed against it.

If personification is not natural in your language, you may need to translate the meaning without using this figure of speech. For example:

A person who hates someone else causes disagreements between them. But a person who loves his fellow man will forgive him if that person sins against him in any way.
-or-
If there is someone whom you hate, you will start to quarrel with that person. If you love him, you will forgive him for anything wrong that he does against you.

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