anxiety

In Gbaya, the notion of anxiety is emphasized in Proverbs 12:25 with hɛrɗɛŋ, an ideophone that expresses a feeling of impatience, and eagerness to see something come true.

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 12:25

The message of this saying is that a kind word cheers up a depressed person.

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down”: “Anxiety” is normally fear or worry about something in the future. New Revised Standard Version has revised “man’s heart” to “the human heart.” “Weighs . . . down” is literally “bows him down” in the sense of causing the person to become depressed or dejected. Some translations render this line idiomatically; for example, “When a person is worried this makes his thinking [or, insides] heavy.”

“But a good word makes him glad”: “Good” in this context has the sense of “reassuring,” “encouraging,” or “helpful.” In many languages “a good word” must be expanded; for example, “the good talk of a friend” or “if someone gives good talk to a neighbor. . ..” “Makes him glad” is rendered in many modern versions by an expression equivalent to “cheers him up.” See Good News Translation.

In some languages this saying may be expressed, for example, “Worrying about what will happen makes you feel bad, but an encouraging word from somebody can warm your heart.”

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 12:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 12:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “Anxiety makes a person to shy down/be depressed,
    but a good word makes that person happy.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If a person has no peace of mind
    his heart will be depressed,
    But tender words cheer the heart.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Worrying can-take-away the joy of a man; kind/good words can-make- him -happy.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Worry, it is heavy to bear (lit. carry-on-the-shoulder), but the good/lovely word, it-causes-happiness.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “When people are anxious/worried, they become depressed/dejected,
    but when others speak kindly to them, it causes them to be cheerful again.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 12:25

12:25

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

25a
Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man,

25b but a good word cheers it up.

12:25a

Anxiety weighs down the heart of a man: The phrase the heart of a man refers to a person’s emotions or inner being. A person who is anxious is both worried and fearful about the future. This clause is a metaphor in which anxiety is compared to a heavy burden that makes a person’s heart bow down under its weight. It is also a personification that speaks of the heart as if it were a person who could bow down. To be emotionally weighed down means to be depressed. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Make the image of the metaphor explicit. For example:

Worry is a heavy load (New Century Version)

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

Worry is like a heavy weight on a person’s heart/back.

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

An anxious heart is dispiriting (Revised English Bible)

12:25b

but a good word cheers it up: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a good word refers to anything encouraging, reassuring, kind or helpful that a person says in order to make another person feel glad or happy again. This verse part continues the personification of the “heart” by speaking of it as if it were a person whom a helpful saying cheers…up. A way to translate this without the personification is:

an encouraging word cheers a person up (New Living Translation (2004))

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