lazy person

The Hebrew that is translated as “lazy person” or “sluggard” or similar in English is translated in Low German as Fuulpelz, an idiomatic term that literally means “someone who wants to rest on an animal hide” (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1937, republ. 2006).

See also lazy.

complete verse (Proverbs 19:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 19:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “Some people are very lazy,
    and are not even able to bring food to the mouth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The lazy man takes a mouthful of rice in his fingers,
    but will not lift it to his mouth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “There are people who are very lazy that even eating (they) still are-feeling-lazy-to-do-it.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There is a person whose laziness is extreme. He merely places-a-hand-on what he eats but he is not able-to-put-it-in his mouth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Some people are extremely lazy;
    they put their hand in a dish to take some food but do not even lift the food up to their mouths.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 19:24

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish”: “Sluggard”, referring to a lazy person, first occurs in 6.6. “Buries” renders a word also meaning to hide or conceal. In this example the lazy person puts his hand into the dish and leaves it there because he is too lazy to take out food and carry it to his mouth (see next line). This saying is expressed in exaggerated terms to ridicule the lazy person. The scene assumes a family meal with a dish of food into which each person dips his hand to remove some of the food.

“And will not even bring it back to his mouth”: “It” refers to his hand. We may also say, for example, “and he doesn’t even lift his hand to his mouth to eat.” Note that Good News Translation shortens this saying and avoids the image of the person sitting by the dish with his hand in it. The result is a total loss of humor. Contemporary English Version likewise generalizes and thereby sacrifices the comic element: “Some people are too lazy to lift a hand to feed themselves.” Bible en français courant keeps the full force of the image: “A lazy person plunges his hand into the plate, but doesn’t have the power to bring it to his mouth.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 19:24

19:24

This proverb humorously contrasts what a lazy person is willing and unwilling to do. He is willing to put his hand down into a dish of food. But he is unwilling to bring his hand up to his mouth.

24a The slacker buries his hand in the dish ;

24b he will not even bring it back to his mouth.

In Hebrew, the parallel parts form a chiasm. The word order is more literally:

24b
to his mouth he will not even bring it back !

In some languages, a chiastic word order may emphasize the contrast more effectively.

The setting of the proverb is a typical meal in the Middle East. At such a meal, a person normally dipped a piece of bread into a dish containing a vegetable stew or sauce. He then scooped the food into his mouth. The proverb uses exaggeration to make fun of a lazy person. Because of his extreme laziness, he fails to complete even a simple task like eating.

19:24a–b

The slacker buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as buries often refers to hiding something, such as treasure, by burying it in the ground. Here the word is used figuratively to exaggerate the action of the lazy person or slacker. This person is so lazy that he allows his hand to lie hidden or buried in the bowl of food. He does not even lift his hand back to his mouth to eat the food.

There are several ways to translate the exaggerated cultural situation described here:

• In some areas, it may be possible to use the same kind of exaggeration. For example:

The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;

he will not even bring it to his mouth. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
The sluggard plunges his hand in the dish,

and he will not even bring it back to his mouth! (NET Bible)

• In areas where people do not dip their hands into a dish, it may be clearer to use more general terms. For example:

Lazy people take food in their hand

but don’t even lift it to their mouth. (New Living Translation (2004))

• Another option is to use terms that are appropriate in your own culture. For example:

A lazy person puts his fork in his food.

He doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth. (God’s Word)

If you substitute a culturally appropriate way of eating, it is suggested that you add a footnote that describes the original cultural context. A possible footnote is:

In Israel at that time, the main meal was often a thick sauce or stew made of vegetables. It sometimes contained meat. This food was put in one dish in the center of the people who were eating together. Each person would dip a piece of bread into the dish and then scoop some food into his mouth.

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