Proverbs 1:1 - 7

The following is a back-translation of Proverbs 1-7 from the Spanish Traducción en Lenguaje Actual (publ. 2002, 2004):

1 These are the proverbs of Solomon, a son of David, Israel’s king.
2-4 It is their purpose
That you, young people,
May come to be wise,
May straighten up your behavior
And may also understand words
That are well thought and well said.
These proverbs serve as well
To teach those with no experience,
So they can take care of themselves,
And be just and honest in everything.
So they may show they are smart and knowledgeable,
And think over what they do.
5 Those of you who are wise and intelligent,
Listen to what I want to tell you.
You will thus become wiser
And will gain more experience.
6 You will thus be able to understand
The difference between a proverb,
An example, and a riddle.
7 Whoever wants to become wise
Must begin by obeying God.
But ignorant people
Don’t want to be corrected
Nor do they want to become wise.

Spanish text available here, translation by Alfredo Tepo in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 2016ff. .

Translation commentary on Proverbs 1:6

“To understand a proverb and a figure”: Verse 6 picks up the term “understand” from its related noun in verse 5. “A proverb” is the singular form of the Hebrew word that is the title of the book. “Figure” translates a term whose meaning is not entirely certain. It may be related to a word meaning to “turn” or “bend.” In Gen 42.23 the word is used to refer to the interpreter Joseph used when he spoke to his brothers. In Isa 43.27 the word is used to refer to mediators, prophets, or spokesmen who spoke to the people for God. In Job 33.23 Elihu uses the term to indicate someone who mediates as an angel between God and people.

In many languages “to turn the words” is an idiomatic way of saying “interpret.” Some scholars understand this word to refer to an unclear saying that hints at or suggests something familiar. Modern versions use a variety of expressions; for example, New American Bible, Moffatt, New English Bible/Revised English Bible say “parables,” New Jerusalem Bible “obscure sayings,” and Good News Translation “hidden meanings of proverbs.” The Septuagint has “dark sayings.”

“The words of the wise”: The ancient teachers of the Wisdom school often expressed their thoughts in obscure sayings, which required the learner to figure out the sense. “Words” in this context refers not to individual words but to the teachings given by wise people or the ideas and thoughts wise people taught to others.

“And their riddles”: A “riddle” is a game of words in which a question or series of questions are asked. These questions contain obscure clues that invite the listener or reader to discover the hidden meaning. For example, “What is quiet when it is alive and talks when it is dead?”—answer: “a leaf.” “Riddles” here translates a Hebrew word that, according to Toy, comes from a verb meaning to “turn aside” and involves some kind of puzzling discourse. The term is used in Jdg 14.12-14, where Samson tells a riddle about a lion to the Philistines. In 1 Kgs 10.1 it is used in reference to the difficult questions the Queen of Sheba put to Solomon to test his wisdom. In Ezek 17.2 it is used to describe a symbolic account or parable to represent a historical event; and in Num 12.8 the Lord, punishing Aaron and Miriam for speaking against Moses, uses the term as a contrast to the clear and direct communication that the Lord used with Moses.

In some languages the term for a popular proverb may include riddles as well as folk tales and other kinds of sayings. It is not necessary that the translation express the strict sense of a “riddle,” but it is important that the term or phrase used should refer to a dark or hidden saying, that is, one that is purposefully obscure in meaning, or a discourse that challenges the listener’s understanding.

If verse 5 has been translated as a parenthesis (see above), the translation of verse 6 should retain the style of verses 2-4, showing that the proverbs of verse 1 are also for the purpose of teaching or instruction. So if the translation has used “you” in verses 2-4, it is advisable to do so also in verse 6; for example, “Also, so that you can understand the meaning of proverbs and other sayings as well as the teachings and riddles of the wise ones.”

On the other hand, if verse 5 is not regarded as a parenthesis, and verses 5 and 6 are translated as a unit separate from verses 2-4, then verse 6 should continue in the same style as verse 5.

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 1:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 1:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “And there/then, people will know what these proverbs, stories/parables, words of wisdom and riddles show/reveal/mean.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Because of this they will be able
    to understand the hidden meanings
    of the proverbs
    and they will also be able
    to understand the riddles of the wise.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “so-that they will-understand the meaning of the proverbs, comparisons/parables, and riddles of the wise-ones.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “to understand the advice, sayings, illustrations/examples and riddles of the collective-pl-skillful/intelligent.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Then they will be able to understand the meaning of proverbs and parables/metaphors,
    these wise sayings and riddles/sayings that are difficult to understand.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 1:6

1:6

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

6a by understanding proverbs and parables,

6b
the sayings and riddles of the wise.

There is an ellipsis in 1:6b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 1:6a. For example:

6b
⌊by understanding⌋ the sayings and riddles of the wise

There are two main ways to interpret the connection of 1:6:

(1) Proverbs 1:6 connects back to 1:1 as one of the four purposes of the proverbs. It applies to people in general. The New International Version indicates this by setting off 1:5 with dashes as a parenthesis. The New Jerusalem Bible reorders 1:6 before 1:5 so that the four purpose statements are not interrupted by the parenthetical command in 1:5. Here is another way to translate this:

Then anyone can understand wise words… (New Century Version)

(2) Proverbs 1:6 connects back to 1:5 as a purpose for the wise to add to their knowledge. For example:

so that they can understand… (Good News Translation)

(3) Proverbs 1:6 connects back to 1:5 as a means by which the wise add to their knowledge. For example:

by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables… (New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it follows the pattern of each Hebrew purpose clause relating equally to the title in 1:1. It also seems more reasonable to think that the book of Proverbs would help all readers, not only the wise, to understand parables, riddles, and other wise sayings.

1:6a

parables: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as parables is used only three times in the Old Testament. It probably refers to any figurative saying that is difficult to understand unless someone interprets its meaning. It may include shorter sayings, such as metaphors, or longer sayings, such as parables. Some other ways to translate this word are:

obscure sayings (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
clever saying (God’s Word)
-or-
stories (New Century Version)
-or-
figures (New Revised Standard Version)

1:6b

the sayings and riddles of the wise: The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the sayings and riddles of the wise is literally “sayings of the wise and their riddles.” Both sayings and riddles come from the wise.

riddles: The Hebrew word has a broader meaning than the English word riddles. It refers to any puzzling saying or difficult question that needs to be interpreted or answered.

General Comment on 1:6a–b

The four terms listed in these verse parts overlap in meaning. In some languages, the same range of meaning may be expressed by fewer or more terms.

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