Translation commentary on Proverbs 27:20

“Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied”: For “Sheol and Abaddon” see the comments on 15.11. To say that these places, or “the world of the dead,” “are never satisfied” is probably a reference to their continuous swallowing or devouring of the dead. Bible en français courant translates “As the world of the dead never ceases to swallow up its victims. . ..”

“And never satisfied are the eyes of man”: This line expresses a theme also found in Eccl 1.8. “Satisfied” translates the same verb as used in first line. “Eyes of man” is used here to represent people’s “greed” or “desire.” Bible en français courant renders this line “human beings never get all they desire.” Contemporary English Version translates the whole saying “Death and the grave are never satisfied, and neither are we.” In some languages this saying may be expressed, for example, “The grave never gets all the dead people it wants, and people never get all the things they want.” The order of the two lines may also be reversed: “The mind of a person always wants many things, just as the place of the dead always has room for [more] people to go there.”

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 27:20)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 27:20:

  • Kupsabiny: “A greedy person never gets enough,
    like the place of the dead is always open.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Death and destruction are never satisfied.
    In the same way people’s desires” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Death has no satisfaction; also the desire of a man.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Death and the place of the dead can absolutely never be satisfied, likewise also people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “It is as though the place where the dead people are is always wanting more people to die and come there;
    and humans are always wanting to acquire more things, too.” (Source: Translation for Translators)