anger

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The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).

  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
  • Mende: “have a cut heart”
  • Mískito: “have a split heart”
  • Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
  • Mossi: “a swollen heart”
  • Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
  • San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
  • Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
  • Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
  • Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)

In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)

See also God’s anger and angry.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 22:8

This saying seems like an encouragement to those who are suffering oppression. The second line is partly parallel to the first and adds to its meaning.

“He who sows injustice will reap calamity”: “Injustice” is doing what is morally wrong or bad. The term rendered “calamity” is the same as that rendered “ill” in 12.21. See the comments there. This line is figurative language based on the agricultural terms “sow” and “reap”. Most English versions keep the agricultural image, and translators in many other languages will be able to do the same; for example, “The person who plants injustice like someone plants a crop, the thing he will see from it is trouble.” If it is not possible to talk about sowing “injustice” and harvesting “calamity”, then we can say something like “If a person does what is wrong and harms others, big trouble will come to him” or “Troublemakers get in trouble” (Contemporary English Version).

“And the rod of his fury will fail”: There is some uncertainty about the Hebrew text of this line, and a few versions give a different translation based on the Septuagint. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends following the Hebrew text as we have it (“B” rating). The expression “rod of his fury” is taken by most commentators to refer to “the tyranny of bad and powerful men” (Toy) or “oppression of others” (Good News Translation). It is possible, however, that “his fury” may refer to the anger or punishment that the evildoer receives, rather than the anger he expresses against others. So Revised English Bible translates “the rod of God’s wrath.” “Will fail” is better expressed as “will end” (Good News Translation), “will disappear” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “will be destroyed” (New International Version). In some languages the sense of this line is expressed as “he won’t be able to hurt others any more.”

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 22:8)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 22:8:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who sows arrogance gets/reaps suffering,
    and the authority/power that he uses to oppress other people will be destroyed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Anyone who sows evil will harvest evil.
    And their injustice will also end.
    [they will be defeated]” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The one-who-sow wickedness will-harvest destruction, and his cause-to-harm others will- now -stop.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Whoever plants what is not right, problems are what he harvests, and afterwards his hardshipping of others because of his anger will end.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “If you plant corn or rice, corn or rice will grow;
    similarly, if you act unjustly, you will have disasters ;
    and if you try to harm/oppress people because you are angry with them,
    you will not be able to harm them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 22:8

22:8

This proverb uses two metaphors to teach that people who treat others unjustly will suffer bad consequences themselves. The first metaphor is about agriculture (sowing and reaping). The second metaphor is about physical punishment (striking with a rod).

8a
He who sows injustice will reap disaster,

8b and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.

Each parallel line describes a consequence of wicked behavior. The parallel parts in the second line are more specific than the similar parts in the first line.

22:8a

He who sows injustice will reap disaster: This is a metaphor. It compares a person who treats others wrongly to a person who plants seeds and then harvests the crop. A person who plants seeds of wickedness or injustice will harvest a crop of disaster.

injustice: In Hebrew, this word refers to treating other people wrongly, unfairly, or unjustly. It includes legal injustice, such as bribery. It also includes treating other people unfairly in business dealings or oppressing them in other ways.

disaster: In Hebrew, this word usually refers to evil behavior. Here, it refers to the results of such behavior—trouble, misfortune, or disaster. See how you translated the same word in 12:21b.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

Whoever plants injustice will harvest trouble (God’s Word)
-or-
If you plant the seeds of injustice, disaster will spring up (Good News Translation)

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

The person who treats someone else unfairly is like someone who plants seeds. Later he will harvest the crop, and that crop is trouble.

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

Those who plan evil will receive trouble (New Century Version)

22:8b

and the rod of his fury will be destroyed: This is a metaphor. It describes a person who angrily uses his power to oppress or mistreat someone else. It compares him to a person who strikes someone in anger with a rod. As a result, his power will be destroyed. He will no longer be able to oppress others.

the rod of his fury: This phrase means “the rod/cane that he uses to strike someone because of his intense anger.” It could refer to literally hitting someone with a rod. However, the rod is probably a symbol of power and authority. The person uses this power to cause hardship to other people.

will be destroyed: In Hebrew, this verb is literally “will fail,” as in the New Revised Standard Version. In this context, it indicates that the wicked person will stop mistreating others. This may be because he dies or is killed or because his power to abuse others is taken away.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

the rod with which he strikes others will be destroyed

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

His power to hurt others in anger is like a rod that will be broken.

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

their cruel anger will come to an end (New Century Version)
-or-
your oppression of others will end (Good News Translation)

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