anger

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The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is translated as “anger” or similar in English in this verse is translated with a variety of solutions (Bratcher / Nida says: “Since anger has so many manifestations and seems to affect so many aspects of personality, it is not strange that expressions used to describe this emotional response are so varied”).

  • Chicahuaxtla Triqui: “be warm inside”
  • Mende: “have a cut heart”
  • Mískito: “have a split heart”
  • Tzotzil: “have a hot heart”
  • Mossi: “a swollen heart”
  • Western Kanjobal: “fire of the viscera”
  • San Blas Kuna: “pain in the heart”
  • Chimborazo Highland Quichua: “not with good eye”
  • Chichewa: “have a burning heart” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation) (see also anger burned in him)
  • Citak: two different terms, one meaning “angry” and one meaning “offended,” both are actually descriptions of facial expressions. The former can be represented by an angry stretching of the eyes or by an angry frown. The latter is similarly expressed by an offended type of frown with one’s head lowered. (Source: Graham Ogden)

In Akan, a number of metaphors are used, most importantly abufuo, lit. “weedy chest” (the chest is seen as a container that contains the heart but can also metaphorically be filled with other fluids etc.), but also abufuhyeε lit. “hot/burning weedy chest” and anibereε, lit. “reddened eyes.” (Source: Gladys Nyarko Ansah in Kövecses / Benczes / Szelid 2024, p. 21ff.)

See also God’s anger and angry.

patience / patient

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The Hebrew and Greek terms that are translated as “patient” or “patience” are translated in a variety of ways.

Eugene Nida (1952, p. 130) gives some examples:

“Peace is the quality of the soul; patience is the behavior of the soul. The Aymara of Bolivia have described patience well by the phrase ‘a waiting heart.’

“The Ngäbere of Panama describe patience in more vivid terms. They say that it is ‘chasing down your temper.’ The impatient person lets his temper run away with him. Patience requires one to “chase down his temper” and get it under control [see also Mairasi down below].

“The Yucateco describe patience as ‘strength not to fall.’ This seems to include almost more than patience, but it is important to note that this Yucateco translation recognizes that impatience means ‘falling.’ For some of us, who tend to take a certain secret pride in our impatience—describing it as energetic drive—it might be well to recognize that impatience is failure, while patience is strength.

“The San Blas Kuna in Panama use a rather strange phrase to depict patience. They say ‘not caring what happens.’ But this is not meant as condoning foolhardy indifference to life and danger. It reflects a kind of reckless confidence in God, a confidence not bred of desperation but of utter reliance. The patient person is not concerned about what happens; he is willing to wait in confidence.”

In Mairasi, the phrase that is employed is “stop (our) anger” (source: Enggavoter 2004) and in Suki “slow careful thinking way” is used (source L. and E. Twyman in The Bible Translator 1953, p. 91ff. )

In Kwang an expression is used that directly translates as “carry one’s head” (source: Mark Vanderkooi right here ), and in Q’anjob’al it is translated with the phrase “large stomach” (source: Newberry and Kittie Cox in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 91ff. ).

In Akan, it is typically translated as abodwokyɛre, lit. “chest cool longer.” (Source: Kofi Agyekum in International Journal of Language and Communication 2015, p. 35ff. )

See also Seat of the Mind / Seat of Emotions.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 25:15

“With patience a ruler may be persuaded”: “With patience” is literally “with slowness to anger” and is similar to 19.11a. The literal sense matches the parallel “soft tongue” in the next line. However, in the context of persuading people in authority, most English versions say something like Revised Standard Version. “Ruler” renders a noun not used elsewhere in Proverbs; it refers to a military commander or more generally to a person of authority. “May be persuaded” renders the passive of a verb often used in the bad sense of “entice” or “deceive”; but here it is neutral, and “convince” or “persuade” are correct.

“And a soft tongue will break a bone”: “A soft tongue” means “soft words,” “gentle speech,” or “sweet words.” To “break a bone” is a figure meaning to overcome powerful resistance or strong authority. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy translates “Patience calms anger and soft words break resistance.” Contemporary English Version says “Patience and gentle talk can convince a ruler and overcome any problem.” The saying may also be expressed, for example, “If you speak softly and don’t get cross, you can change the inside [mind] of people who don’t want to listen to you. And you can change the thinking of headmen too.”

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 25:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 25:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “If/When one speaks good words, (it) appeases people, but/and if one perseveres (it) brings back/corrects even a king.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If there is patience even a ruler can be placated.
    and by soft words even bones can be softened.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Being-patient and a gentle speaking can-persuade the ones-who-rule and even the ones-who have a hard heart.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If you (sing.) are patient and your (sing.) words are slow/soft, you (sing.) can cause- the ruler -to-give-in and defeat the strongest who opposes.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will often agree to do it;
    similarly, by speaking gently we can often convince others that what we say is right.” (Source: Translation for Translators)