inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Prov 1:13)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translations both use the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 1:13

Not only will the sinners kill the innocent; they will also rob them.

“We shall find all precious goods”: “Find” means to “seize,” “capture,” or “take away.” “Precious” is used in Job 28.16 to refer to gems of great value. “Goods” translates a noun used a number of times in Proverbs in the sense of “wealth” or “possessions.” The context makes clear that “precious goods” refers to highly prized material goods taken as loot.

“Fill our houses with spoil”: “Fill” does not mean to fill to overflowing as with a liquid; it has the sense of putting a lot of things in. Moffatt says “cram our houses.” “Spoil” refers to the goods and property that are taken from the slain victims. For a model translation see Good News 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 1:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 1:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “Do not accept when/if (they) say that, ‘When we do like that we shall plunder all the good things from those people so that we may fill up our houses.’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “And by plundering their valuable goods
    we will fill our treasuries.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “We (incl.) can-get from them expensive/valuable things, and let- us (incl.) -fill our (incl.) houses with our (incl.) plunder/take-by-force.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “We will take their valuable possessions so that we will fill our houses with what-is-stolen.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)