The Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek that is typically translated in English as “joy” or “happiness” is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible idiomatically as farin ciki or “white stomach.” In some cases, such as in Genesis 29:11, it is also added for emphatic purposes.
Other languages that use the same expression include Southern Birifor (pʋpɛl), Dera (popolok awo), Reshe (ɾipo ɾipuhã). (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls”: The warning “Do not rejoice” means “don’t be happy” (Contemporary English Version), don’t take pleasure, because of what happens to someone else. For “enemy” see 16.7. “Falls” is the same word as in verse 15 and is used in the same sense: “when your enemies meet disaster” (Good News Translation).
“And let not your heart be glad when he stumbles”: “Let not your heart be glad” has the same sense as “Do not rejoice” in the previous line. “When he stumbles” matches “when your enemy falls”. “Stumbles” is the same word as used in verse 16. Because the sense of the two lines is very similar, Contemporary English Version combines them: “Don’t be happy to see your enemies trip and fall down.”
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 .
The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is translated as “enemy” or “foe” in English is translated in the HausaCommon Language Bible as “friends of front,” i.e., the person standing opposite you in a battle. (Source: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
In North Alaskan Inupiatun it is translated with a term that implies that it’s not just someone who hates you, but one who wants to do you harm (Source: Robert Bascom), in Tarok as ukpa ìkum or “companion in war/fighting,” and in Ikwere as nye irno m or “person who hates me” (source for this and one above: Chuck and Karen Tessaro in this newsletter ).