Translation commentary on Proverbs 12:14

The two lines of this saying are similar in sense rather than contrasting. The thought expressed is that a person is rewarded for speaking and doing the right thing.

“From the fruit of his words a man is satisfied with good”: “The fruit of his words” is literally “fruit of his mouth.” As in 13.2, it refers to his words, the things he says. “Satisfied with good” refers to receiving material rewards or wealth. New Revised Standard Version calls them “good things” and Good News Translation “your reward.” We may translate this line, for example, “You are rewarded according to what you say” or “The good things you get depend on what you say to others.” Bible en français courant translates “A person can obtain success from his words.”

“And the work of a man’s hand comes back to him”: “Work of . . . hand” refers to the work or other activity that a person does. In many languages “hand” is redundant in this context. “Comes back to him” means he benefits, receives rewards.

Two translations of the verse that may serve as models are: “Whoever speaks well lives well because of it; whoever does well gains from it” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Or:
“A person can obtain success from his words just as a person is assured wages from his labor” (Bible en français courant).

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 12:14)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 12:14:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person will be saved by his mouth,
    and is blessed in everything (he) does.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “We will be rewarded or punished
    according to our work and our words.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “We (incl.) will-rewarded with good things according to what we (incl.) say and do.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Many and nice/lovely are the rewards of a person on-account-of his words just like he is also rewarded according-to what he has done.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “People are rewarded for the good things that they say to others,
    and people are also rewarded for the good work that they do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 12:14

12:14

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

14a By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things,

14b and the work of his hands returns to him.

12:14a–b

There are three ways to interpret the overall meaning of this verse:

(1) A person is rewarded for good words. He is also rewarded for good actions. For example:

People can get many good things by the words they say; the work of their hands also gives them many benefits. (New Living Translation (1996))

(2) A person is rewarded for good words. He is also rewarded or punished according to his actions. For example:

A person will be satisfied with good from the fruit of his words, and the work of his hands will be rendered to him. (NET Bible)

(3) A person is rewarded or punished according to his words and deeds. For example:

We are rewarded or punished for what we say and do. (Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions. The first line explicitly refers to “good.” The second line may be understood in the same way because of the parallelism.

12:14a

By fruitful speech: In Hebrew, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fruitful speech is literally “the fruit of his mouth.” It is a figure of speech. It means “the results of what he says.”

It is implied from the second half of the clause that he says what is good, beneficial or helpful. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this implied information explicit. For example:

Wise words bring many benefits (New Living Translation (2004))

a man is filled with good things: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “a man is filled/satisfied with good.” It means that a person receives many benefits from the good things that he says. These benefits include things such as wealth, success, and respect. Here is one way to express this idea:

Your reward (Good News Translation)
-or-
People will be rewarded (New Century Version)

However, there is an emphasis in the expression “filled/satisfied” that is good to bring out in translation. This emphasis can be expressed in various ways. For example:

People will be amply/thoroughly rewarded because of their good words
-or-
People can get many good things by the words they say (New Living Translation (1996))

12:14b

and: In Hebrew, this phrase is a single word (the conjunction waw). It probably means “and,” “also,” or “moreover.” Here it connects two lines that both deal with the principle of reward. Good words are rewarded. Good deeds are also rewarded.

Some versions indicate this connection with a specific word or words. For example:

as surely as the work of his hands rewards him (New International Version)

and they will also be rewarded for what they do (New Century Version)

Other versions leave the connection implicit. For example:

they get the reward their work merits (Revised English Bible)

Translate this connection in a natural way in your language.

the work of his hands: This phrase refers to a person’s deeds or activities. One way to translate it is:

manual labor (New Revised Standard Version)

However, most translations treat the word hands as a figure of speech (synecdoche) in which hands represent the entire person. For example:

what they do (New Century Version)

Because of the parallel with 12:14a, it is implied that the person’s deeds or activities are good. In some languages, this implied information may need to be made explicit. For example:

the ⌊good⌋ things that he does

returns to him: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as returns to him would refer in a neutral context to either reward or punishment. (See interpretations (2) and (3) above in 12:14.) But in this context, it is parallel with “good things” in the first line. So it has a desirable meaning and refers to a reward or benefit.

General Comment on 12:14a–b

English versions do not specify who rewards the person who says and does good things. It could be either other people or the LORD or both. It is recommended that you translate the verse without making explicit the source of the reward. Some ways to do this are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

14a People will be rewarded for what they say, 14b and they will also be rewarded for what they do. (New Century Version)

• Use a different construction. For example:

14a Wise words bring many benefits, 14b and hard work brings rewards. (New Living Translation (2004))

Some other examples that do not specify the source of the reward or benefit are the New Living Translation (1996) (quoted above in 12:14a–b) and the Revised English Bible (quoted in 12:14b).

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:

People who say and do good things will be thoroughly satisfied with the benefit/reward they receive.

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