complete verse (Proverbs 23:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “If you are eating with a ruler, sit while being alert.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “When you eat with any important person,
    remember who is before you.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) eat together with a leader/ruler/[lit. head], you (sing.) watch your (sing.) manners/[lit. move].” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If they invite you (sing.) to eat-with an important (lit. high) person, think-about who it is that is-in-front-of-you-(sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 23:1

“When you sit down to eat with a ruler”: This is the setting for the advice that follows. “Sit down to eat with” suggests that the person has been invited to the table of the “ruler”; so Contemporary English Version begins “When you are invited. . ..” Some translations use the word “dine” in English to give the sense of a formal meal with someone wealthy or important. The Hebrew word translated “ruler” is a verb participle meaning “one who rules”; this may also be rendered “king” (Contemporary English Version), “a great man” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “someone important” (Good News Translation). In different parts of the world terms like “prince,” “chief,” and even “politician” may be suitable equivalents.

“Observe carefully what is before you”: The expression “observe carefully” is an emphatic construction in Hebrew using the verb that means “discern,” “have understanding,” or “consider.” “What is before you” refers to the food on the table, and this reference would lead into the advice of the next verse: “Think carefully about all that food on the table; and if. . ..” It is possible, however, to understand the Hebrew as “whose presence you are in,” referring to the important person; in this case the sense would be: “Keep in mind who he is, and if. . ..” Scott understands the reference to be to the food, but then takes the line to mean “Pay attention to your table manners,” that is, “. . . how you eat” (compare Contemporary English Version, “use your best manners”). All of the above are models that translators may follow.

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 23:1

23:1–8

The three sayings in 23:1–8 are all related by a common theme or at least a common implication. This theme is that the actual situation is not what it seems to be. Sayings 6 and 8 both imply that a person who invites someone to a meal is not necessarily motivated by friendship. Saying 7 implies that people expect wealth to provide lasting security, but it does not.

Paragraph 23:1–3 Saying 6

In this saying, the author continues to address his readers as a father who advises his son. He advises the young man to be careful in the way he conducts himself when he eats with an important person. It is implied that the host may have prepared the plentiful and tasty food in order to test the young man’s self-control.

The first two verses do not contain parallel parts.

23:1a

When you sit down to dine with a ruler: This clause gives the setting for the rest of the saying. It describes a situation where the young man has been invited to share a meal with a person who has political power or authority. This person could be a king, governor, or other official who has the influence to affect the young man’s career. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If you sit down to eat with a ruler (New Century Version)
-or-
When you sit down to eat with someone important (Good News Translation)

sit down: Most versions specify sit, as in the Hebrew. But there is no emphasis here on the young man’s physical position. In some languages, it may be more natural to leave this detail implied. For example:

When you are invited to eat with a king (Contemporary English Version)

23:1b

consider carefully what is set before you: There are two ways to interpret the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as what. The word could also mean “who.”

(1) The word means “what.” It refers to the food that is placed before the young man. For example:

observe carefully what is before you (New Revised Standard Version)

(2) The word means “who.” It refers to the ruler who is in front of the young man. For example:

consider well who is before you (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most English versions, as well as the LXX and other ancient translations, follow this interpretation.

consider carefully: In Hebrew, the verb phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as consider carefully is emphatic. It means “consider carefully” or “be sure to understand.”

The following context implies that the young man should think carefully about the implications of the plentiful food. He should consider how to behave appropriately in that kind of situation. In some languages, it may be helpful to make some of this implied information explicit. For example:

Think carefully about ⌊what⌋ all that food in front of you ⌊means/implies⌋ .

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