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.

wisdom ("word wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil c’op or “word wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

See also buy wisdom.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 10:23

In verses 23-25 the usual order of positive followed by negative is reversed. Here the negative, that is, “the fool” or “the wicked,” occurs in the first line.

“It is like sport to a fool to do wrong”: “Sport” renders a word probably meaning “laughter.” The word translated “do wrong” means to carry out an evil act or plan. The Hebrew word is used in connection with serious crimes such as incest, adultery, and idolatry in Lev 18.17; Job 31.11, and Jer 13.27. Revised English Bible translates it “lewdness,” which means obscene or lustful conduct: “Lewdness is entertainment for the stupid.” Bible en français courant has “The practice of evil is like a game to the fool.” We may also say, for example, “Doing evil is fun to the fool” or “A fool enjoys doing evil.”

“But wise conduct is pleasure to a man of understanding”: This line contrasts wisdom with foolishness. The Hebrew text says literally “But wisdom to the man of understanding.” Revised Standard Version has represented “sport” in the second line by supplying “pleasure”. This gives the sense that sensible persons take pleasure in wisdom just as fools do in wrongdoing. Good News Translation is a good model translation.

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 .

complete verse (Proverbs 10:23)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 10:23:

  • Kupsabiny: “A foolish person finds pleasure in evil/sin,
    but one who is understanding is happy for/with wisdom.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “A fool rejoices in evil work,
    People who have understanding
    rejoice in works of wisdom.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The happiness/pleasure of a foolish-one is to do evil, but the happiness of a man who has understanding is life that is wise.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “A fool is-made-happy by his-doing evil, but the thinking/reflective-person, he-is-made-happy by wiseness.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Foolish people have fun/enjoy doing what is wrong,
    but wise/sensible people enjoy doing what is wise.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 10:23

10:23

This proverb contrasts the different things that give pleasure to “a fool” and “a man of understanding.”

23a
The fool delights in shameful conduct,

23b but a man of understanding has wisdom.

10:23a

The fool:

delights in shameful conduct: In Hebrew, the phrase delights in is literally “like laughter.” This is a simile that compares evil conduct to laughter. The similarity is that a fool enjoys doing wrong as much as he enjoys laughing at something that causes him amusement. He gets equal entertainment or pleasure from both.

Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

• Keep the simile. For example:

Like the laughter of a fool when he carries out an evil plan (God’s Word)
-or-
Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool (English Standard Version)

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

A foolish person enjoys doing wrong (New Century Version)
-or-
Doing wrong is fun for a fool (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Crime is the entertainment of the fool (New American Bible)

10:23b

but a man of understanding has wisdom: In Hebrew, this line is more literally “but wisdom to a man of understanding.” The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the verb has.

a man of understanding: This phrase refers to someone who is competent and has good sense. A person like this knows how to take appropriate action.

understanding: The Hebrew word tǝbunah, which the Berean Standard Bible usually translates as understanding, means “good sense” or “competence” to handle the situations that a person faces in life. It is different from the word binah, which the Berean Standard Bible also usually translates as “understanding.” The word binah refers more to the ability to interpret and comprehend ideas. The word tǝbunah refers to the ability to take appropriate action.

Compare with the Glossary entry for understanding (insight).

has wisdom: The word wisdom is parallel to “evil conduct,” so it implies wise actions or a wise lifestyle. Some other ways to translate this line are:

but anyone with good sense enjoys acting wisely (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible (New Living Translation (2004))

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