The Hebrew that is translated as “womb” in English is translated in the latest edition of the Mandarin Chinese Union Version (rev. of 2010) with zǐgōng (子宫), literally “child palace.” (Source: Zetzsche)
See also womb (Japanese honorifics).
thirst, thirsty
The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “thirst” or “thirsty” in English is translated in Kituba as “hungry for water.” (Source: Donald Deer in
See also thirst (figuratively).
Hades / Sheol
Translation commentary on Proverbs 30:15 - 16
Verses 15b-16 form the second numerical saying of this collection.
“Three things”: This saying begins with the two line formula “Three things . . . four. . .,” as do three other sayings later in the collection. According to some commentators the sequence of numbers is a rhetorical device to give the sense that the things listed are not necessarily the only things that fit into the particular group or description. Another way of expressing this is, for example, “There are some things that . . . Four of them are. . ..” Some commentators give the indefinite number phrase “three or four” as the appropriate rendering in English; Contemporary English Version follows this approach. Others regard the formula purely as a rhetorical device to help the reader or listener to remember the saying. According to this understanding, the sense of the formula is, “There are four things that. . ., namely. . ..” Good News Translation follows this approach. A further possibility is that the formula focuses attention on the final (fourth) item in the sequence that follows.
“Are never satisfied”: This may also be expressed “things whose desire never ends” or “things that always want more.” Some commentators and translators see these words as linking back to the leech in the previous short saying.
“Four never say “Enough””: This line is completely parallel to the previous line, with the number “four” here replacing the number “Three” there. “Never say “Enough”” has the same meaning as “are never satisfied”. Since the meaning is the same in the two lines, translations like Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version combine the two lines, and translators may wish to follow this approach in other languages.
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 .
Translation commentary on Proverbs 30:16
“Sheol”: See the comments on 1.12 for the meaning of this term. See also 27.20 for the thought that “Sheol” is never satisfied.
“The barren womb”: This is a figure of speech in which a part of the body stands for the whole person. The real meaning is “a barren woman” (Revised English Bible) or “a woman without children” (Good News Translation).
“The earth ever thirsty for water”: “The earth” refers here to “the land,” “the ground,” or “the soil,” which constantly requires “water” to make plants and crops grow.
“And the fire which never says, “Enough””: Revised Standard Version labels this line as obscure in Hebrew, which may be because the final word does not seem to have its usual sense of “wealth” or “sufficiency.” However, most versions render the line in the same way as Revised Standard Version. “The fire” may refer to a fire out of control, that is, a house fire or a forest fire that keeps on burning and does not stop. But it more likely refers to a fire for heating or cooking, “for which the labor of bringing fuel seems endless” (Scott).
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 .
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