Translation commentary on Proverbs 30:29

Verses 29-31 form the sixth numerical saying in this collection.

In this sequence of four items we again find that the first three refer to the natural world, describing creatures that have a proud way of standing and moving. We also find here that the fourth item, which refers to a proud human person, is the climax and focus of the saying.

“Three things are stately in their tread”: “Stately in their tread” renders a Hebrew expression that is literally “being pleasing of step.” The sense is that all of the things are impressive in the way they walk. This is expressed in different ways in English: “stately in their stride” (New International Version, Revised English Bible), “impressive to watch as they walk” (Good News Translation), and “which stride proudly” (Scott).

“Four are stately in their stride”: The Hebrew expression uses the same verb form and is very similar in meaning to the previous line. It is literally “being pleasing of walking.” Both Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation (see above) combine the two lines.

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 30:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 30:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “In this place, there are animals and people who are so proud:” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “There are four kinds of living beings
    that walk in an impressive manner” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “There are even in-fact three or four animals that (are) as-if (they think they are) someone when (they) walk:” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “There-are four which when they are-walking, it can-be-seen that they are strong:” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 30:29

Paragraph 30:29–31 Four things that walk like leaders

This is a numerical proverb that has the same form as 30:18–19. The author lists three animals and a person that walk in a way that shows their pride and status as leaders.

30:29

The parallel structure here is similar to 30:18–19, including the ellipsis.

29a “There are three things that are stately in their stride,

29b and four that are impressive in their walk :

30:29a–b

stately in their stride…impressive in their walk: In Hebrew, these phrases are more literally “stride/step well…walk/move well.” In this context, they describe the confident and dignified way that the four things stride along as they move from place to place. Some other ways to translate these phrases are:

walk with stately stride…strut about (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
walk with dignity…march with dignity (God’s Word)
-or-
strut proudly…walk as if they were important (New Century Version)

General Comment on 30:29a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these parallel lines. For example:

There are four things that are impressive to watch as they walk: (Good News Translation)

© 2012, 2016, 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.