Translation commentary on Proverbs 20:15

The theme of this saying is that words of wisdom or knowledge are more valuable than money or precious stones. There are similar statements about wisdom in 3.13-15 and 8.10-11. The second line extends the sense of the first line; this is a saying of the form “A is true, [and] B is more true.”

“There is gold, and abundance of costly stones”: This line names the things that people value most highly and by which they reckon their wealth. The Hebrew word translated “costly stones” is the same word as “jewels” found in 3.15; see there for comments. Translators are advised to follow the majority of English versions and render this word as “jewels” or “costly stones.” Some versions take “abundance” to mean “of many kinds” or “of every type” (New Jerusalem Bible) rather than “very many.”

“But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel”: “Lips of knowledge” is a literal rendering of the Hebrew, which is quite unnatural in English. New Revised Standard Version “lips informed by knowledge” and New International Version “lips that speak knowledge” are more natural. But “lips” is used as a figure of speech here for “speech” or “words,” and it is better in most languages to use one of these terms. “Speech informed by knowledge” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “sensible words” (Contemporary English Version) are good models. Good News Translation may also be helpful to some translators: “if you know what you are talking about. . ..” “A precious jewel” is literally “article of preciousness [or, honor].” This is sometimes taken to mean “a rare jewel” in the sense that it “is not often found” (Revised English Bible “a rarity”). But having in mind the form of the whole saying, the sense is more likely that the quality referred to in this line is more valuable than the things mentioned in the previous line. Some translations that express this sense are “more precious” (Scott), “more valuable than” (Good News Translation), and “better than” (Contemporary English Version).

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 20:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 20:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “A word of wisdom has value,
    more than wealth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Even though there are
    many kinds of precious things
    such as gold and ornaments,
    there is no ornament as valuable as
    a word full of wisdom.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Gold and precious stones are many, but only few people is-speaking with wisdom.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The words of a wise-person are more-valuable than gold and collectively-expensive jewelry (lit. decorations of the body).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Gold and precious stones are valuable,
    but wise words are more valuable.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 20:15

20:15

This verse compares things that are valuable (20:15a) to something that is even more valuable (20:15b). The second line uses a metaphor to emphasize the value of wise words.

15a There is an abundance of gold and rubies,

15b but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure.

The overall meaning is that wise words are more valuable than gold or jewels.

20:15a

There is an abundance of gold and rubies: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally, “There is gold and an abundance of rubies.” This line means that gold and rubies both exist. The phrase an abundance describes primarily rubies, but the context implies that gold is also plentiful.

rubies: In Hebrew, this word may refer to “rubies” (NET Bible) or “red coral” (Revised English Bible). The meaning is uncertain. So some English versions use a more general term such as “costly stones” (English Standard Version) or “jewels” (New American Standard Bible).

If you use a specific term such as “rubies” or “red corals,” be sure that these items are considered to be extremely valuable. See how you translated the same word in 3:15a and 8:11a.

Another way to translate this line is:

Gold is plentiful, jewels abundant (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

20:15b

but lips of knowledge are a rare treasure: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as lips of knowledge is a figure of speech that represents either knowledgeable/wise words or the person who speaks with knowledge and wisdom. In this context, the word knowledge means the same thing as “wisdom.” Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

• Keep the word lips or a similar figure of speech, such as “mouth.” For example:

wise lips (New American Bible)
-or-
a mouth that speaks wise words

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

wise speech (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
people who speak wisely/knowledgeably

Also see the examples in the next note.

The whole line is a metaphor. It compares lips of knowledge to a rare treasure. The similarity is that both wise words and treasures are very rare or valuable. Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

wise lips are a precious ornament (New American Bible)

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

words of knowledge are like a precious jewel (NET Bible)

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

Sensible words are far more valuable.

a rare treasure: In Hebrew, this phrase refers to a highly valued object that someone has made, such as a jeweled ornament or other piece of jewelry.

General Comment on 20:15a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order of these two lines. For example:

Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
If you know what you are talking about, you have something more valuable than gold or jewels. (Good News Translation)

Both these versions translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. See also 20:15a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

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