wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
  • Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
  • Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
  • Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
  • Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

wisdom ("word wisdom")

In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil c’op or “word wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

See also buy wisdom.

complete verse (Proverbs 2:2)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 2:2:

  • Kupsabiny: “Be attentive to the words of wisdom and do not forget the words of understanding.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If you listen to wisdom
    and understand it,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Listen about wisdom and understanding.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Be-thorough/diligent to listen to wisdom and persist in receiving-it.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 2:2

Verse 2 continues the conditional sense from verse 1. The Hebrew verb construction marks this as a dependent clause, reflected in many English translation by the forms “making . . . inclining”, or “turning . . . applying” (New International Version). This verse adds to verse 1 by describing the attitude required of the person who obeys the commands referred to there. If you have chosen to use the conditional marker in verse 1 (rather than following the Good News Translation pattern), it would be good to repeat this marker at the beginning of verse 2.

“Making your ear attentive to wisdom”: The first part of this line is found in Psa 10.17; the sense is to give attention or listen.

“Inclining your heart to understanding”: “Incline your heart to . . .” is another idiomatic expression meaning “commit yourself to. . .” that is used in such places as Psa 119.36 and 141.4. A number of translations render the idiom as “work hard to get understanding” or “try hard to understand.” “Heart” in English and many other languages gives the impression of an emotional element. However, in the Old Testament the “heart” is the seat or center of the intellect and will. Toy comments: “the brain (not mentioned in the OT) was not regarded by the ancients as having intellectual significance.” “Understanding” renders the same root as used in 1.5.

We may translate verse 2, for example: “Listening to my words that give you wisdom and thinking about what they mean.” Or: “Paying attention to what the wise one teaches you and understanding its meaning.”

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 2:2

2:2

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2a if you incline your ear to wisdom

2b and direct your heart to understanding,

2:2a–b

if you incline your ear…direct your heart: The two lines of this verse explain how a person “accepts” and “hides” the teacher’s advice. The NET Bible expresses this relationship as follows:

by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding (NET Bible)

The first expression, incline your ear, means to listen attentively. It also implies that a person will obey what he hears. The second expression, direct your heart, means to think seriously or concentrate on something. The heart here refers primarily to a person’s mental faculties—the ability to think and choose.

2:2b

direct your heart to understanding: The Hebrew word tǝbunah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as understanding, is a near synonym of “wisdom.” It means “good sense” or “competence” to handle the situations that a person faces in life. It is different from the word binah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as “insight” in 1:2b. The word binah refers to the ability to interpret and comprehend ideas, whereas tǝbunah refers to the ability to take appropriate action. So the person addressed as “my son” should listen attentively to wise advice and think seriously or concentrate on having good sense. For example:

think what it means to have common sense (Contemporary English Version)

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