falling drops

In Gbaya, the notion of drops falling one by one is emphasized in the referenced verses with kóɗóŋ-kóɗóŋ, an ideophone that expresses the sound of drops falling one by one.

Ideophones are a class of sound symbolic words expressing human sensation that are used as literary devices in many African languages. (Source: Philip Noss)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 27:15

Verses 15-16 form a single saying.

“A continual dripping on a rainy day”: For “A continual dripping” see 19.13. “A rainy day” is a day on which it rains continually.

“And a contentious woman are alike”: For “a contentious woman” see 21.9, 19. This saying does not make clear what aspect of the “continual dripping” is to be compared to the ill-tempered or quarrelsome woman. Good News Translation “nagging” and “drip-drip-drip” suggest constant or repeated complaints. This is sometimes expressed as “she never closes her mouth.” In many languages it will be a good idea to reverse the order of the lines in this saying, as Good News Translation has done.

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 27:15)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 27:15:

  • Kupsabiny: “A quarrelsome woman is like a house where rain enters always.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “A quarrelsome wife is like rain
    that comes without stopping in the rainy season.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A wife who always argues with her husband can- not -be-endured like a leaking roof on a rainy-season.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The quarrelsome wife (lit. spouse who is a woman) can-be-compared to water that drips-and-drips.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Having a wife that is constantly nagging
    is as bad as listening to rain continually dripping on a rainy day.” (Source: Translation for Translators)