The phrase that is typically translated in English as “slow to anger” is rendered in Bawm with the idiom “be of a long mind” (source: David Clark) and in Akan as “his chest is slow to grow weed” (see anger) (source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.).
anger
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).
- Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
- Mende: “have a cut heart”
- Mískito: “have a split heart”
- Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
- Mossi: “a swollen heart”
- Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
- San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
- Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
- Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
- Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)
In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)
See also God’s anger and angry.
Translation commentary on Proverbs 16:32
“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty”: As in 15.1, self-control in the face of provocation receives praise here. The Hebrew of this line begins with “It is better.” As in 15.18, “slow to anger” means “does not quickly become angry.” Good News Translation has “be patient.” “Mighty” renders a noun referring to a warrior, and the thought expressed is “it is better to be patient than to be powerful” (Good News Translation).
“And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city”: “Rules his spirit” means “controls his emotions” or “keeps his temper under control.” Although not expressed, “it is better” is clearly understood from the first line and may need to be expressed in translation. “Takes a city” means “defeats or conquers a city in battle.” Bible en français courant translates the whole saying: “The real hero is the one who conquers his anger. It is worth more to be master of oneself than to be master of a city.”
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 16:32)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 16:32:
- Kupsabiny: “Better is a person who endures things than one who pushes with his chest/uses force,
and better is a person who does his things/words in the lungs (restrains himself) than one who ties the neck (is stiff-necked/stubborn).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation) - Newari: “It is more important to be patient
than to be strong.
Victory over one’s mind is more important
than victory over other countries.” (Source: Newari Back Translation) - Hiligaynon: “Much better a patient man than a powerful man. Much better a man who can-control himself than a man who can-control a city.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- Kankanaey: “A patient person who is capable to restrain/control his anger is better than the one who is skilled/intelligent to join-in-battle who is capable to defeat a city.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
- English: “Those who do not become angry quickly are better than those who are powerful;
it is better to control your temper/keep yourself from becoming very angry than to conquer a city.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 16:32
16:32
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
32a
He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior,
32b and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
In the Hebrew, the second line is not a complete sentence but literally says, “and he who rules his spirit than the one who captures a city” (see the New International Version). In some languages, the implied word “better” may need to be supplied from the first line. For example:
32b
⌊better⌋ a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.
This “better than” proverb has the same structure as the proverb in 16:16. See the note there for more details on this kind of proverb.
The overall meaning is that a patient man who controls his temper is better than a warrior who conquers a city. It implies that self-control is more important than the ability to conquer others. It does not imply that it is bad to be a warrior who conquers a city.
16:32a–b
He who is slow to anger…he who controls his temper: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He who is slow to anger refers to someone who does not easily or quickly become angry. Such a person is able to control his anger (see the note on 14:29a). The phrase translated as controls his temper is literally “rules his spirit.” It refers to someone who is able to control his emotions, and especially his anger/temper. So both phrases have almost the same meaning.
than a warrior…than one who captures a city: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a warrior refers to someone who is especially strong or can accomplish great deeds. A good English equivalent is the word “hero” (Contemporary English Version). The phrase one who captures a city refers to a soldier who defeats and captures a city in a battle.
Some other ways to translate the parallel lines of this verse are:
Patience is better than strength. Controlling your temper is better than capturing a city. (New Century Version)
-or-
Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. (New Living Translation (2004))
General Comment on 16:32a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. For example:
Controlling your temper is better than being a hero who captures a city. (Contemporary English Version)
See also 16:32a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.
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