Translation commentary on Proverbs 21:19

See verse 9 and the comments on that saying; the imagery of this saying is a bit different, but its structure and essential thought are the same.

“It is better to live in a desert land”: “A desert land” is a literal rendering of the Hebrew expression; but in English and some other languages as well, the word “land” really adds nothing in this context. A good number of English versions simply have “in the desert.” A “desert” is a place where few or no people live—in this case a place of peace away from the noise of talk and complaints. It is also regarded as a place where it is harsh and uncomfortable to live, in contrast to the comforts of home. Both of these senses are present in this saying. It is not stated but we must assume that the picture is of the husband being alone in the desert. This may be stated in a translation if it will not be clear for readers; for instance, “Better to live alone in the desert” (Revised English Bible).

“Than with a contentious and fretful woman”: See verse 9 for comments on most of this line. The word “fretful” is added here to the description of the wife who is impossible to live with. The sense of the Hebrew term is “angry” or “bad-tempered”; in English it is expressed as “ill-tempered” (New International Version, Revised English Bible), “irritable” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “complaining” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). In other languages the line may be expressed, for example, “. . . is better than staying with a wife who always talks too much and complains about everything.”

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 21:19)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 21:19:

  • Kupsabiny: “It is better for a person to live alone in the wilderness,
    rather than to stay with a woman who is hot-tempered and likes quarreling.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “It is better to live alone in the desert
    than to live with a quarrelsome and complaining wife.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “(It is) better to live in the desert than to live in the house with a quarrelsome and hot-tempered wife.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It-is-better to be-alone to live in a place with no inhabitants than to reside-with a quarrelsome and grumbling spouse.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “It is better to live alone in a desert
    than to live with a wife who is always nagging and complaining.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 21:19

21:19

This is another “better than” proverb. It is very similar in both form and meaning to 21:9.

19a Better to live in the desert

19b than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

Some of the implied contrasts are:

19a It is better to live ⌊alone⌋ in a ⌊harsh and isolated⌋ desert

19b than to live ⌊in a comfortable house⌋ with a contentious and ill-tempered wife.

There are two minor differences between 21:9 and this proverb:

(a) In this first line, this proverb has “a desert” instead of “a corner of the roof.”

(b) In the second line, it has “with a contentious and ill-tempered wife” instead of “share a house with a quarrelsome wife.”

See the notes at 21:9 for more information on this type of “better than” proverb.

21:19a

Better to live in the desert: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as desert refers to an area where few or no people lived. In Israel, it could be used as pastureland for animals. Some languages have a special word to refer to such areas, such as “the bush” (Africa) or “steppes” (Asia). Some other ways to translate this word are:

land with few people
-or-
place with no inhabitants
-or-
wild, open area

Here the main implications of the word desert are that it is isolated and lonely. It is also difficult to live there.

21:19b

than with a contentious and ill-tempered wife: The word contentious is the same word that is used in 21:9b. See the note and translation suggestions there. The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ill-tempered refers here to a wife who is easily angered and irritated. As a result, she constantly complains to her husband. Some other ways to translate this term are:

irritable (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
easily provoked (NET Bible)
-or-
complaining (Good News Translation)

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