Translation commentary on Proverbs 18:19

“A brother helped is like a strong city”: Note that the footnote in Revised Standard Version says the Hebrew is uncertain and so the Revised Standard Version rendering is based on the ancient versions. The Hebrew text, which Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates as “C,” says literally “An offended brother from a fortified city.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project understands this to mean “is like a fortified city,” that is, he is not open or accessible. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends translating “An offended brother is more inaccessible than a fortified city.” We may reword this, for example, “A brother we have injured closes his doors to us” or “An offended brother keeps everyone away.”

“But quarreling is like the bars of a castle”: In this line the simile is well marked. “Quarreling” is compared with “bars” at the entrance of a “castle” that serve to keep people out. “Quarreling” sets up barriers between people so that they do not have access to each other. Bible en français courant translates the whole saying, without relying on the ancient versions, “An offended brother is more difficult to approach than a fortress. Disputes are as tough as the bars of a castle.”

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 18:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 18:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “It is hard to reconcile a friend who is annoyed/offended,
    than to destroy a protected city.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “You (sing.) find-it-hard to reconcile to your (sing.) sibling who had-bad-feelings against you (sing.). This seems harder to do than to attack a stoned-wall city.
    As hard as to destroy the bars/locked of the gate of a palace, it is also hard to stop the fighting of two people.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is more-difficult to return (i.e., get-back) the companionship of a friend whose feelings (lit. thoughts) have been caused-pain than the way to get-through the fence of a city.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “If you help relatives, they will protect you like a strong wall protects a city,
    but if you quarrel with them, that will separate you from them like bars on a city gate separate the city from those who want to enter it.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 18:19

18:19

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

19a
An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city,

19b and disputes are like the bars of a castle.

The overall meaning is that it is difficult to restore a close relationship that has been broken as a result of a quarrel. The hard feelings that result from a quarrel are like the high walls and barred gates that prevent people from entering a city.

18:19a

An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city: There is a textual issue in this clause:

(1) The Masoretic Text has: “A brother offended…” This text compares an offended brother to a strong city that no one can enter.

This comparison and the comparison in 18:19b both have undesirable meanings. So English versions connect the two verse parts with the word “and.” For example:

19a A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, 19b and quarrelling… (English Standard Version)

(2) The LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and Targum have: “A brother helped…” This text compares a brother that has been helped to a strong city that offers protection.

This comparison has a desirable meaning. The comparison in 18:19b has an undesirable meaning. So English versions connect the two verse parts with the word “but.” For example:

19a A brother helped is like a strong city,

19b
but quarreling is like the bars of a castle. (Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most versions and scholars.

This clause is a metaphor. It compares a brother that has been offended or sinned against to a city with high, strong walls. The Hebrew text is literally “A brother offended ⌊more⌋ than a strong city.” Some ways that an offended brother is similar to a strong city are:

(a) Their defenses cannot be broken down.

(b) They are isolated from others.

(c) It is difficult to approach them.

When you translate this metaphor, you will need to make one or more of the similarities explicit, as the Berean Standard Bible and other versions have done. For example:

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
An offended brother is more ⌊resistant⌋ than a strong city (God’s Word)

brother: In this context, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as brother may also refer to other close relationships. For example:

friend (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
relative (NET Bible)

It is implied that the offended brother or friend was involved in the “disputes” mentioned in 18:19b.

18:19b

and disputes are like the bars of a castle: This is a simile. It compares disputes or quarrels to strong iron bars or bolts. These bars fasten the gates of a strongly fortified place, such as a castle or fortress. Some ways that they are similar are:

(a) Both quarrels and bars create barriers between people.

(b) These barriers are difficult to break down or break through.

Some ways to translate this simile are:

• Leave the similarity implied. For example:

such strife is like the bars of a fortress (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
and quarreling is like the locked bolt on the gate of a castle

• Make the similarity explicit. For example:

Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars. (New Living Translation (2004))

General Comment on 18:19a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel lines. For example:

Making up with a friend you have offended is harder than breaking through a city wall. (Contemporary English Version)

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.