Translation commentary on Proverbs 24:4

“By knowledge the rooms are filled”: The preposition “by” has the same sense as in the previous verse. “Knowledge” is a term that is almost the same in meaning as “wisdom” and “understanding” in the previous verse; see 1.4. “The rooms” may be the various rooms of the house, in which case the next line will refer to their furnishings and contents. So Scott renders the line “Through knowledge its rooms are furnished” (see also Good News Translation), and Revised English Bible uses the noun “furnishings” in the next line. However, “the rooms” may also be rendered “storerooms” (New Jerusalem Bible), in which case the next line will refer to “treasures” (New International Version) or valuable items that are part of the wealth of the owner. The verb “are filled” gives the idea of putting many things in the rooms.

“With all precious and pleasant riches”: This line is literally “all wealth precious and delightful.” The adjective “precious” may have a meaning like “rare” or “splendid”; in this context, as in 1.13, it may also mean “costly” (Revised English Bible). The other adjective “pleasant” may also mean “beautiful” (New International Version, Scott) or “desirable” (New Jerusalem Bible). As noted above, “riches” may refer to the “furnishings” of the rooms or to “treasures” held in the storerooms of the house. Some good models for this line are Scott “[furnished] with all manner of precious and beautiful things,” New International Version “with rare and beautiful treasures,” and Good News Translation “with valuable, beautiful things.”

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 24:4)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 24:4:

  • Kupsabiny: “Wisdom makes that house to be filled with wealth/riches.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “A house where there is insight has rooms
    with various kinds of precious and beautiful things.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) are wise, you (sing.) can-establish and cause- your (sing.) household -to-prosper.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “By-means-of skill/intelligence, its rooms will-be-full of valuable possessions.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 24:4

24:4a–b

The two lines of this verse form a single clause, so they will be combined in the Display.

Some other ways to translate 24:4a–b are:

by knowledge its storerooms are filled with riches of every kind, rare and desirable (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Where there is knowledge, the rooms are furnished with valuable, beautiful things. (Good News Translation)

knowledge: In Proverbs, this word refers to the good or useful things that a person knows or has learned.

its rooms are filled: The word rooms may include storerooms as well as rooms where the family lives. The wise builder knows how to obtain many things to put in these rooms.

with every precious and beautiful treasure: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “precious and pleasant wealth.” It refers to things that are valuable and expensive. They are also beautiful and desirable.

General Comment on 24:3a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel lines that are about building the house. For example:

Use wisdom and understanding to establish your home (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
When people have wisdom and good sense, they build sturdy houses.

General Comment on 24:3–4

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the three parallel clauses in these two verses. For example:

By means of his wisdom, competence, and knowledge, a person builds a ⌊sturdy⌋ house with ⌊many⌋ rooms and buys valuable and beautiful things to put in it.

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