knowledge ("word wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” in English. One of them is p’ijil c’op or “word wisdom” which is also used for “knowledge.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

wisdom ("heart wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” or “wise” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil-o’tanil or “heart wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 15:7

“The lips of the wise spread knowledge”: This line repeats the thought expressed in verse 2. “The lips of the wise” means “the teaching of the wise,” “the sayings of the wise,” or simply “the wise.” “Spread” renders a verb that is normally used to mean “scatter” in an unfavorable sense. This is the only place in the Old Testament where it is used figuratively. Accordingly some interpreters prefer a small change in the Hebrew word to get “preserve.” However, “spread” in the sense of “promote” or “extend” is probably accurate. In some languages this thought may be expressed, for example, “Wise people cause others to learn” or “What the wise say teaches others knowledge.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “The wise spread knowledge with their lips.”

“Not so the mind of fools” is literally “but not so the heart of fools.” This line contrasts “fools” with “the wise” in line 1. The negation “not so” refers to the spreading of knowledge in line 1. Note that Good News Translation makes the contrast clear with “not by fools.” Others say “but fools can’t do this.”

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 15:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 15:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person of understanding goes around speaking words of wisdom,
    but the one with a foolish head/mind, has nothing to teach people.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “From the mouths of the wise
    come words of knowledge,
    but the hearts of fools are not like that.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The wise spread-out wisdom; the fools can- not -do this.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The words of the wise give wisdom/intelligence, but the thoughts of a fool, they (lit. it) have no use/purpose.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “What wise people teach causes others to know much more,
    but foolish people cannot teach others what is useful.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 15:7

15:7

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

7a
The lips of the wise spread knowledge ;

7b but not so the hearts of fools.

The Berean Standard Bible puts the phrase “not so” at the beginning of 15:7b, forming a chiasm. In Hebrew, “not so” is at the end of the line. If a chiasm is not natural in your language, this line could be reordered as follows:

7b the heart of fools does not do so

Use whatever order is natural in your language.

15:7a–b

The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools: The parallelism here is unusual, since lips do not usually form a pair with hearts. The contrast is also hard to understand, since lips (words) spread knowledge, but hearts do not “spread” anything. One explanation is that the Hebrews viewed the heart as the source of knowledge. They viewed the lips as the means to express that knowledge.

The implied information in 15:7a is that wise people spread knowledge ⌊that comes from their hearts⌋ . The parallel in 15:7b implies that fools ⌊have no knowledge⌋ in their hearts, so they cannot spread it. Some versions make explicit some the implied information in 15:7b. For example:

7a Wise people use their words to spread knowledge, 7b but there is no knowledge in the thoughts of fools. (New Century Version)

Consider how much implied information needs to be made explicit in your language to make the parallel contrast clear.

For more information on the significance of parts of the body, see the General Comment on 6:12–14 at the end of 6:14b.

15:7a

The lips of the wise: The lips of the wise is a figure of speech. It has the same meaning as “The tongue of the wise” in 15:2. It represents either the words that wise people speak or the wise people who speak the words.

spread knowledge: When wise people speak, they spread (literally “scatter”) knowledge. This means that they make known to many people what they know.

knowledge: This word occurs throughout Proverbs as a parallel pair with “wisdom.” So it is strongly implied that this is useful or beneficial knowledge or advice. Here is one way to make this implied meaning explicit:

Only the wise can give good advice. (New Living Translation (1996))

You will need to decide whether it is helpful to make this information explicit in your language.

15:7b

but not so the hearts of fools: Another way to translate this line is:

the heart of a fool has none to give (New Living Translation (2004))

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