neighbor

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The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “neighbor” in English is rendered into Babatana as “different man,” i.e. someone who is not one of your relatives. (Source: David Clark)

In North Alaskan Inupiatun, it is rendered as “a person outside of your building,” in Tzeltal as “your back and side” (implying position of the dwellings), in Indonesian and in Tae’ as “your fellow-man,” in Toraja-Sa’dan it is “your fellow earth-dweller,” in Shona (translation of 1966) as “another person like you,” in Kekchí “younger-brother-older-brother” (a compound which means all one’s neighbors in a community) (sources: Bratcher / Nida and Reiling / Swellengrebel), in Mairasi “your people” (source: Enggavoter 2004), in Mezquital Otomi as “fellow being,” in Tzeltal as “companion,” in Isthmus Zapotec as “another,” in Teutila Cuicatec as “all people” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.), and in most modern German translations as Mitmensch or “fellow human being” (lit. “with + human being”).

In Matt 19:19, Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Mark 12:33, Luke 10:27, Luke 10:29 it is translated into Ixcatlán Mazatec with a term that refers to a person who is socially/physically near. Ixcatlán Mazatec also has a another term for “neighbor” that means “fellow humans-outsiders” which was not chosen for these passages. (Source: Robert Bascom)

In Noongar it is translated as moorta-boordak or “people nearby” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 11:12

“He who belittles his neighbor lacks sense”: “Belittles” renders a verb used in 6.30 (translated “despise”) to mean to look down upon or consider as worthless. This term can mean to speak with contempt and is used in parallel with “scorn” in Isa 37.22. For “neighbor” see verse 9. “Lacks sense” is literally “lacks heart,” which means it is foolish, stupid, or a bad thing to do.

“But a man of understanding remains silent”: Revised Standard Version uses “man of understanding” in 1.5 and 10.23, referring, as here, to a person of good sense. This contrasts with the person in the first line who “lacks sense”. The book of Proverbs often warns against talking too much. To “remain silent” is to resist the temptation to say things that may be harmful to others.

A typical translation of this verse is “If a person uses bad talk to put down other people, he is stupid. But the person who thinks well keeps his mouth shut and does not use this kind of talk.”

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 11:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 11:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person without wisdom despises/insults (others),
    but a wise person keeps/restrains his mouth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Only fools belittle their neighbors.
    [But] people with insight remain silent.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A man without understanding mocks his fellowman, but a man who has understanding does not mock.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who mocks/belittles his neighbor is mindless (lit. has no mind/thoughts). The thinking/reflective-one, he-remains-quiet.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “It is foolish to despise others;
    those who have good sense/are wise do not say anything to criticize others.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 11:12

11:12

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

12a
Whoever…lacks judgment shows contempt for his neighbor,

12b but a man of understanding remains silent.

11:12a

Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks judgment: The phrase Whoever…lacks judgment refers to a person who does not have good sense.

shows contempt for his neighbor: Other ways to translate the expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as shows contempt are:

One who belittles others (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Whoever derides their neighbor (New International Version)

A person who does this is contrasted with a person who “remains silent” in 11:12b. The contrast probably implies that a person who lacks judgment shows contempt through what he says to others about his neighbor. Some other ways to express this meaning are:

It is foolish to speak scornfully of others. (Good News Translation)
-or-
It’s stupid to say bad things about your neighbors. (Contemporary English Version)

11:12b

but a man of understanding remains silent: The contrast with 11:12a implies that a person with good sense remains silent rather than slandering his neighbor.

a man of understanding: In this context, a man of understanding is a person who has discretion, good sense, and intelligence. The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as understanding was last used in 10:23b.

Some other ways to translate this line are:

If you are smart, you will keep quiet. (Good News Translation)
-or-
but an intelligent person remains silent (New Revised Standard Version)

Notice that the Good News Translation addresses the readers directly in 11:12b. It uses “you” pronouns. Versions such as the Berean Standard Bible or New Revised Standard Version state a general principle. They do not address the readers directly. Use a natural way in your language to translate this kind of proverb.

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