hate

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated in English as “hate” or a form thereof is translated in Tabasco Chontal as “don’t want to see [the person who is hated].” (Source: John Beekman & Harwood Hess in Notes on Translation, March 1963, p. 1ff.)

See also hate.

Translation commentary on Proverbs 29:24

“The partner of a thief hates his own life”: “The partner of a thief” is literally “he who shares with a thief.” This probably refers to someone who helps a thief steal and so is rewarded by receiving some of the thief’s stolen goods. “Hates his own life” needs to be understood in light of the meaning of the second line.

“He hears the curse, but discloses nothing”: “He” refers to the person who is in partnership with the thief in line 1. “Hears the curse” is best understood by reference to Lev 5.1-6 in which a witness to a crime or anyone involved in it must reveal what they know. Failure to do so after the curse or oath has been spoken results in a person being cursed. The curse can only be canceled by confession and the offering of a sacrifice. The partner of the thief “hates his own life” or “hates himself,” because he is bound to suffer the effects of the curse for not telling what he knows about the crime. Contemporary English Version, which takes “the curse” here to refer to taking an oath in court, makes this saying clear: “If you take part in a crime, you are your worst enemy, because even under oath you can’t tell the truth.”

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 29:24)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 29:24:

  • Kupsabiny: “A person who eats with (joins) thieves will just stab himself,
    because even though he swears an oath, he will not tell the truth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The one who helps a thief becomes his own enemy.
    Even if he does give true testimony
    he will still have to bear the punishment.
    and if he does not give [true testimony]
    he will still have to bear God’s curse.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A person who is a accomplice of a thief harms him/herself. Even-though he/she has-been-asked-to-swear to tell the truth, he/she will- never -tell.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The one who companions-with a thief, it-is-as-if he hates his very self (lit. his body just the same), because even though they have-him-swear to testify, he will not tell the truth.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who help thieves to steal only hurt themselves;
    when they are in court, they solemnly ask God to curse them if they do not tell the truth,
    but they do not tell the truth about the crime that was committed,
    and as a result, God will curse them.” (Source: Translation for Translators)