power / strength

The Hebrew that is typically translated in English as “power” or “might” or “force” is translated in the English translation by Goldingay (2018) as energy or energetic.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 24:10

“If you faint in the day of adversity”: “If you faint” is a reflexive form of the verb that basically means “relax,” “drop,” “sink,” “let go,” or “be slack.” In this context the reflexive form means something like “show yourself weak”; so Revised English Bible has “If you have shown yourself weak. . .” and Scott “If you show weakness. . ..” Good News Translation “If you are weak. . .” and New Jerusalem Bible “If you lose heart. . .” express the same idea. The idiomatic expression “the day of adversity” means a time of distress or trouble (see 17.17); in many languages, however, the literal rendering of the idiom will not be the most natural way of translating it. New International Version “times of trouble” and New Jerusalem Bible “when things go wrong” are both good models for translators. The term “crisis” is commonly used in English to express this sense; Scott and Good News Translation both say “in a crisis” and Revised English Bible “at a time of crisis.” One translation renders this line as “If your trouble puts you down.”

“Your strength is small”: For “strength” see verse 5. The Hebrew word translated “small” comes from the same root and sounds almost the same as the word “adversity” in the previous line. As an adjective its sense is “narrow” or “restricted”; a number of other versions follow Revised Standard Version with “small,” but Revised English Bible renders the line “how limited is your strength” and New Jerusalem Bible “your strength is not worth much.” Good News Translation expresses the thought with “you are weak indeed.”

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 24:10)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 24:10:

  • Kupsabiny: “When trouble comes and a person is disappointed/broken-hearted, then that person is seen to be weak.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “People who retreat in time of trouble
    are never able to advance.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) lost hope in times of difficulty, (it) only shows that you (sing.) are weak.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The mind of a person who lets- hardship -defeat-him is weak.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 24:10

Paragraph 24:10 Saying 24

This saying indicates that a person who gives up when there is trouble has very little strength. It is an implied encouragement to show strength in times of trouble. It is also an implied admonition to not show weakness. The Contemporary English Version translates this admonition explicitly. It has:

Don’t give up and be helpless in times of trouble.

Most versions leave the encouragement/admonition implied.

24:10

If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!: In Hebrew, this verse is literally “You have shown yourself weak in a day of trouble. Your strength is narrow.” Almost all English versions translate these statements as an “if” clause followed by a conclusion.

If you faint in the day of distress: This clause refers to a person who becomes discouraged and fails to act appropriately in a crisis. Instead of showing determination and courage to face the hardship or trouble, he shows weakness. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If you have shown yourself weak at a time of crisis (Revised English Bible)
-or-
If you give up when trouble comes (New Century Version)
-or-
If you fail under pressure (New Living Translation (2004))

how small is your strength: This clause refers to mental and moral strength, not only physical strength. It indicates that the person’s strength is limited or inadequate. The Berean Standard Bible translates this clause as an exclamation to emphasize the person’s lack of strength. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

your strength is not worth much (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
it shows that you are weak (New Century Version)
-or-
you are weak indeed (Good News Translation)

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