secure / safe

In Gbaya, the notion of safety or security is emphasized with mgbítíŋ, an ideophone used to express the fact of being calm, secure, confident.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 11:14

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls”: The word rendered “guidance” was first used in 1.5, where Revised Standard Version translated it “skill,” and Good News Translation “guidance.” In the context of this verse it refers to advice, counsel, or direction. “A people” renders a word used in the Old Testament to refer to people in general or to the citizens of a country or the inhabitants of a city in particular. “Falls”, as in verse 5, means to come to ruin or to meet with disaster. Note that Good News Translation has interpreted “people” to refer to a nation. Contemporary English Version, on the other hand, relates this line to a city: “A city without wise leaders will end up in ruin.” Bible en français courant keeps the sense general with “A people perish when they are not directed.”

“But in an abundance of counselors there is safety”: “Abundance” means “many” or “numerous”; the whole expression means the active participation of many counselors. “Counselors” renders a noun related to the verb meaning to advise or admonish. They may be advisors to a king or to anyone seeking advice. “Safety” renders a noun used in the Old Testament to refer to deliverance by God or by human effort, a military victory, national success and prosperity, or salvation in the spiritual sense. In both the context of the nation and the city the sense of “safety” is better expressed in English as “security.” See Good News Translation.

Some modern translations, however, interpret this verse as referring to a military campaign. Among these are New Jewish Publication Society Version, New English Bible, and Revised English Bible. For example, Revised English Bible says “For want of skilful strategy an army is lost; victory is the fruit of long planning.” New Revised Standard Version has changed Revised Standard Version “a people” to “a nation” and added a footnote that says “Or an army.”

Still others take this verse to refer to public policy, the manner in which a nation or city is governed; for example, Traduction Œcuménique de la Bible says “For lack of public policy [politique] a people fail; their well-being is in the number of counselors.” All of these are acceptable understandings and translations of this verse.

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 11:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 11:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “If a nation is not led/guided in a good way, it will fall apart,
    but if it is counselled/advised well it will be safe.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When there is no one to guide the way,
    a country is destroyed,
    but when there are many who give advice,
    [a country] is strong.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A nation will-be-destroyed if it has no advisers, but if it has many advisers, it has firmness/strength.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The town/country that has nobody to rule-(it) will be defeated, but the one that has many skillful/intelligent leaders will be properly protected.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “A nation will be destroyed/ruined if it does not have leaders who guide it wisely;
    but if there are many good advisors, the nation remains secure.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 11:14

11:14

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

14a For lack of guidance a nation falls,

14b but with many counselors comes deliverance.

11:14a

For lack of guidance, a nation falls: The first phrase describes a situation that results in the defeat or destruction of a nation. Some other ways to express this relationship are:

If a nation has no one to give guidance, it will be destroyed/defeated.
-or-
Lack of guidance will cause a nation to be destroyed/defeated.

For lack of guidance: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as guidance clearly implies wise guidance, direction, or counsel. The ones who provide direction or guidance to a nation are generally its leaders. In some languages, it may be more natural to make this explicit. For example:

A country without wise leaders
-or-
Without wise leadership (New Living Translation (2004))

a nation: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a nation is literally “a people.” This word can refer to any group of people, including the people of a city or the people of a country. Some languages may be able to use a general expression. For example:

a people (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
a group of people

If you need to be more specific, it is recommended that you use a term that refers to a nation or country.

falls: The word falls refers here to either economic ruin or military defeat. If possible, translate in such a way that your readers can understand either sense of the word. If it is not possible to keep this ambiguity, you should use an expression that refers to military defeat.

11:14b

but with many counselors comes deliverance: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as deliverance can mean “salvation,” “help,” “deliverance,” “victory,” or “safety.” In this context, it probably indicates that a country is delivered/saved from its enemies as a result of the wise counsel of many advisers. Some other ways to translate this idea are:

• Refer to victory. For example:

but with many advisers there is victory (God’s Word)

• Refer to being saved or rescued. For example:

but lots of good advice will save it (New Century Version)

• Refer in a more general way to security or safety. For example:

but in an abundance of counselors there is safety (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Many advisers mean security

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