joy

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The Greek, Latin, Ge’ez, and Hebrew that is translated with “joy” or “gladness” in English is translated with various strategies:

  • Baoulé: “a song in the stomach” (see also peace (inner peace))
  • Bambara: “the spirit is made sweet”
  • Kpelle: “sweet heart”
  • Tzeltal: “the good taste of one’s heart”
  • Uduk: “good to the stomach”
  • Mískito: “the liver is wide open” (“happily letting the pleasures flooding in upon it”) (source for this and above: Nida 1952)
  • Mairasi: “good liver” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Noongar: koort-kwabba-djil or “heart very good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “refreshed heart” (source: Waterhouse / Parrott in Notes on Translation October 1967, p. 1ff.).
  • Hausa Common Language Bible: farin ciki or “white stomach.” Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling,” happiness / joy, and exceeding joy.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 23:25

“Let your father and mother be glad”: This continues the thought of the previous verse with an appeal to the young person to make it happen. The verb “be glad” may be taken as a statement, “Your father and mother will be happy” (New Jerusalem Bible), but most take it as a wish “May your father and mother be glad” (New International Version), or as an appeal for the young person to bring happiness to his parents. Examples of this last sense are “Give your father and mother cause for delight” (Revised English Bible) and “Make your parents proud” (Contemporary English Version). Some commentators suggest that “and mother” should not be part of this line, because “mother” is in the next line and the parallelism requires only “father” here. However, practically all translations retain “father and mother.”

“Let her who bore you rejoice”: “Her who bore you” is the same in Hebrew as “who begot you” in verse 22 and “he who begets” in verse 24, except that the form is feminine. This line, which refers to the mother, balances (and is similar in form to) the second line of the previous verse, which refers to the father. Note that Good News Translation places the element of appeal in the verse in this line also: “give your mother that happiness.” The rendering of the verse in one Pacific language is “Your mother gave birth to you, and you must always make her happy.”

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 23:25)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 23:25:

  • Kupsabiny: “So let your father and mother be happy, yes let the person who bore you be happy.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Make your mother and father rejoice.
    Make glad the mother who gave you birth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Your (sing.) parents will- surely -rejoice if you (sing.) are righteous and wise, especially your (sing.) mother.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore you (sing.) should make-happy your (sing.) father and mother who birthed you (sing.).” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 23:25

23:25

This verse is an indirect appeal to the son that he would cause his parents to be happy. This appeal is based on the preceding verse. He will make them happy by acting in a way that is righteous and wise (23:24). Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

25a
May your father and mother be glad,

25b
may she who gave you birth rejoice !

The New Living Translation (2004) makes the connection between verse 23:24 and 23:25 explicit. It has:

25a
So give your father and mother joy!

23:25a–b

May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!: In Hebrew, these similar verbs both function as indirect commands or appeals to the son. Some other ways to translate the first command are:

Give your father and mother cause for delight (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Make your parents happy

Some other ways to translate the second command are:

give your mother a reason to be glad (New Century Version)
-or-
cause your mother real joy

General Comment on 23:25a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the parallel lines in order to reduce redundancy. For example:

So you should cause your parents real happiness. They are the ones who gave you life.

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