Ixcatlán Mazatec: “with your best/biggest thinking” (source: Robert Bascom)
Noongar: dwangka-boola, lit. “ear much” (source: Portions of the Holy Bible in the Nyunga language of Australia, 2018 — see also remember)
Kwere “to know how to live well” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Dobel: “their ear holes are long-lasting” (in Acts 6:3) (source: Jock Hughes)
Gbaya: iŋa-mgbara-mɔ or “knowing-about-things” (note that in comparison to that, “knowledge” is translated as iŋa-mɔ or “knowing things”) (source: Philip Noss in The Bible Translator 2001, p. 114ff. )
Chichewa: nzeru, meaning both “knowledge” and “wisdom” (source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)
In the Tzeltal translation for the dialectal variant of Highland Tzeltal (Biblia Tzeltal yu’un Oxchuc soc Tenejapa, 2001) the translation team used three different words to translate the Hebrew term that is translated as “wisdom” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil c’op or “word wisdom.”
For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).
The Hebrew that is translated as “steadfast love,” “lovingkindness” (Goldingay 2018: “commitment”) or similar in English is translated in a number of ways:
Vidunda: “love of enduring” (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Bura-Pabir: “love which cannot be-changed” (hyirkur na a palidzi wa)
HausaCommon Language Bible “his love without changing” (kaunarsa marar canjawa) (source for this and above: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
Elhomwe: “love that does not finish” (echikondi yoohisintheya) (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
Nyamwezi: chelu, combining “love,” “faithfulness,” “loyalty,” and “kindness” (source: James Lundeen)
Newari: dayāmāyā (दयामाया), a compound word made from two Sanskrit-derived terms: dayā (दया) or “compassion, mercy, kindness” and māyā (माया) or “love, affection” (source: Newari Back Translation)
In Pijintinghevi long or “think heavy about” is used. “The Pijin expression ‘think heavy about’ is very much within the domain of committed relationships. The relationship between father and child, husband and wife, God and His people. There is a very strong element of ‘loyalty’ in this expression.” (Source: Bob Carter)
The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin terms that are typically translated as “mercy” (or “compassion” or “kindness”) in English are translated in various ways. Bratcher / Nida classify them in (1) those based on the quality of heart, or other psychological center, (2) those which introduce the concept of weeping or extreme sorrow, (3) those which involve willingness to look upon and recognize the condition of others, or (4) those which involve a variety of intense feelings.
While the Englishmercy originates from the Latinmerces, originally “price paid,” Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, Corsican, Catalan, Friulian) and other Germanic languages (German, Swedish, Danish — Barmherzigkeit, barmhärtighet and barmhjertighed, respectively) tend to follow the Latin misericordia, lit. “misery-heart.”
In the Hebrew text, each verse of the acrostic in Proverbs 31:10-31 is started with the successive 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. While most translations mention that in a note or a comment, a number of Bible translations have been able to use the same the rhetorical device. The SwedishBibel 2000 had the advantage of an additional three letters in the Swedish alphabet aside from the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet (A-Z) — Å, Ä, and Ö are added behind Z — and by skipping some of the more difficult letters (source: Staphan Lindström). The letters that are successively employed are A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, Å, Ä, Ö.
Click or tap here for the complete 22 verses in Swedish:
10 Att finna en driftig hustru, vem förunnas det —
långt mer än pärlor är hon värd.
11 Blint litar hennes man på henne,
och vinsten uteblir inte.
12 Dagligen är hon honom till nytta,
aldrig till skada.
13 Efter att ha skaffat ull och lin
arbetar hon med flinka händer.
14 Från avlägsna trakter hämtar hon förråd,
hon är som köpmannens skepp.
15 Gryningen är inte inne när hon stiger upp,
sätter fram mat åt familjen och ger pigorna deras portioner.
16 Hon ser ut en åker och köper den,
planterar en vingård för det hon själv har tjänat.
17 Ivrigt går hon till verket
och hugger i med starka armar.
18 Kan hon märka att affärerna går bra
får hennes lampa brinna hela natten.
19 Lätt hanterar hon sländtrissan
och håller sländan i handen.
20 Mot de svaga räcker hon ut handen,
hon öppnar sin famn för de fattiga.
21 När snön kommer ängslas hon inte:
hela familjen har kläder av ylle.
22 Också täcken väver hon själv,
hon är klädd i linne och purpur.
23 På hennes man ser alla med aktning,
där han sitter bland de äldste i porten.
24 Rockar av linne syr hon och säljer,
handlaren förser hon med bälten.
25 Styrka och värdighet utstrålar hon
och ser leende framtiden an.
26 Talar gör hon med klokhet,
vänliga förmaningar delar hon ut.
27 Uppmärksamt följer hon allt i huset,
aldrig äter hon lättjans bröd.
28 Välsignad blir hon av sina barn,
och hennes man lovprisar henne:
29 Åtskilliga duktiga kvinnor har jag sett,
men du överträffar dem alla! —
30 Älsklighet kan bedra, skönhet förgår,
för sin gudsfruktan skall en hustru prisas.
31 Överlämna åt henne hennes mödas lön,
må hon prisas i portarna för sina verk.
Likewise, Danish also has additional letters in its alphabet (Æ, Ø, and Å) and the DanishBibelen på Hverdagsdansk (publ. 1985, rev. 2015 et al.) also maintained an acrostic in this passage:
Click or tap here for the verses in Danish:
10 At finde den ideelle hustru er enhver mands drøm.
Lykkes det, har han fundet en uvurderlig skat.
11 Bedre kan ingen mand ønske sig det,
altid har hun hans fulde tillid.
12 Charmerende er hun tillige,
støtter og opmuntrer ham livet igennem.
13 Dagene bruger hun flittigt,
hun samler uld og hør og har travlt med at spinde.
14 Eksotiske retter forstår hun at frembringe,
for hun har en bred horisont.
15 Før daggry står hun op for at lave mad til familien
og fordele opgaverne mellem husets piger.
16 Går hun forbi et frugtbart jordstykke, køber hun det
og planter en vingård for, hvad hun har tjent.
17 Hun går energisk i gang
og arbejder med stor udholdenhed.
18 Indsatsen bærer frugt,
og der er lys i hendes vindue til langt ud på natten.
19 Jævnligt sidder hun ved sin rok
eller spinder dygtigt ved tenen.
21 Kulden er ikke noget problem,
for hun er klar med det varme tøj.
20 Lider de fattige nød,
er hun der straks med en hjælpende hånd.
23 Man ser hendes mand som en af byens ledere,
for han er en mand, der aftvinger respekt.
22 Nydeligt er hun klædt i dragter af det fineste stof,
hun syr selv sit tøj og væver sine tæpper.
25 Optimistisk ser hun fremtiden i møde,
hun optræder værdigt og karakterfast.
24 Penge har hun nok af,
for hun sælger af det pragtfulde tøj, hun fremstiller.
26 Råd og opmuntring giver hun gerne,
hun taler med visdom og venlige ord.
27 Sit hus har hun styr på,
hun kender ikke til lediggang.
28 Til hver en tid får hun ros af sine børn,
og hendes mand lovpriser hende med følgende ord:
29 „Utallige kvinder er dygtige,
men du overgår dem alle!”
30 Ydre skønhed falmer, og charme kan bedrage,
men en kvinde, der følger Herren, er al beundring værd.
31 Ære og hæder fortjener hun fuldt ud,
og hendes gerninger lovprises overalt i byen.
Like the Hebrew alphabet, the Tok Pisin alphabet has 22 letters (A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y) which the translators saw as a challenge to maintain the Hebrew acrostic: “One of the ways the Israelites followed in writing was a bit different. In the Hebrew alphabet there are 22 letters. Well sometimes they used to divide the talk that they wanted to write into 22 parts, and each part had to start with a different letter. When people translate Hebrew into other languages, they are not able to follow this custom in the translation. But Tok Pisin has 22 letters in its alphabet, the same number as in Hebrew. So in just this one passage in the Bible, we (translators) have followed this custom and reproduced it (the form of the Hebrew), so that you can see how it goes.” (Source: Note in the translation, translated by Timothy Lloyd Wilt in The Bible Translator 1993, p. 207ff. ).
Click or tap here for the verses in Tok Pisin:
10 Ating man i laik maritim meri i gat gutpela pasin tru, a? Orait bai em i hatwok tru long painim. Kain meri olsem i winim olkain ston i dia tumas.
11 Bai man bilong dispela kain meri i save gut long meri i bihainim gutpela pasin oltaim. Na meri bai i helpim em na em i gat planti samting.
12 Dispela meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tasol long man bilong en.
13 Em i save wokim kain kain tret na em i amamas long lumim olkain laplap.
14 Famili bilong en i gat planti kain kaikai, long wanem, em i save go longwe tumas long kisim kaikai, olsem ol bikpela sip i save mekim.
15 Gutpela meri olsem i save kirap taim tulait i no bruk yet na i kukim kaikai bilong famili bilong en na makim wok bilong ol wokmeri bilong en.
16 Hapmeri olsem i save lukluk gut pastaim long graun em i laik baim, na bihain em i baim. Na bihain, em i kisim mani long bisnis bilong em na baim ol yangpela diwai wain bilong planim.
17 I no gat wanpela taim em i les. Em i strongpela meri na i save taitim bun na i wok.
18 Jak bilong lam bilong en i pulap long wel na lam i lait i stap, na em i wok i go inap biknait tru long taim em i lukim bisnis bilong en i go het gut.
19 Kain meri olsem i save wokim ol tret bilong em yet na lumim ol laplap.
20 Long taim em i lukim ol man i sot long ol samting na i rabis, em i save givim ol samting long ol.
21 Maski ren ais i pundaun, em i no save wari long ol famili bilong en, long wanem, em i bin wokim klos bilong ol long laplap i gutpela tumas.
22 Na em yet i save wokim ol blanket bilong ol bet long haus bilong en. Na em i save kisim ol gutpela waitpela laplap na ol gutpela retpela laplap na wokim ol klos bilong en.
23 Ol hetman bilong ples i givim biknem long man bilong en. Na man bilong en i wanpela bilong ol dispela hetman.
24 Planti taim dispela meri i save samapim ol gutpela klos na wokim ol let, na ol bisnisman i save kam baim.
25 Rispek na biknem i olsem klos bilong en na em i gat strong. Em i no save wari long ol samting bai i kamap bihain.
26 Sapos em i skulim ol manmeri, em i mekim tok isi tasol. Na olgeta tok bilong en i kamapim gutpela tingting na save bilong en.
27 Taim em i lukautim ol samting long haus bilong en, em i no save les. Nogat. Em i save wok strong na mekim gutpela wok tumas.
28 “Ure, ure long mama bilong mipela.” Ol pikinini bilong dispela meri i save tok olsem. Na man bilong en i litimapim nem bilong em moa yet na i tok,
29 “Viles na taun bilong yumi i gat planti meri i save mekim gutpela pasin tru, tasol yu winim ol moa yet.”
30 Wanpela meri inap givim switpela tok long yumi, tasol pasin bilong en i narakain. Na maski meri i luk nais tru, em i no inap i stap olsem oltaim. Mobeta yumi litimapim nem bilong meri i save aninit long Bikpela.
31 Yumi mas tingting long gutpela pasin bilong meri na long gutpela wok em i bin mekim, na givim biknem long em. Olgeta manmeri i ken litimapim nem bilong en.
The English Bible translation by Ronald Knox (publ. 1950) is the only English translation that — aside from Psalm 9/10 — maintains every Hebrew acrostic (even though Knox’s translation itself is based on the Latin text of the Vulgate rather than the Hebrew):
10 A man who has found a vigorous wife has found a rare treasure, brought from distant shores.
11 Bound to her in loving confidence, he will have no need of spoil.
12 Content, not sorrow, she will bring him as long as life lasts.
13 Does she not busy herself with wool and thread, plying her hands with ready skill?
14 Ever she steers her course like some merchant ship, bringing provision from far away.
15 From early dawn she is up, assigning food to the household, so that each waiting-woman has her share.
16 Ground must be examined, and bought, and planted out as a vineyard, with the earnings of her toil.
17 How briskly she girds herself to the task, how tireless are her arms!
18 Industry, she knows, is well rewarded, and all night long her lamp does not go out.
19 Jealously she sets her hands to work, her fingers clutch the spindle.
20 Kindly is her welcome to the poor, her purse ever open to those in need.
21 Let the snow lie cold if it will, she has no fears for her household; no servant of hers but is warmly clad.
22 Made by her own hands was the coverlet on her bed, the clothes of lawn and purple that she wears.
23 None so honoured at the city gate as that husband of hers, when he sits in council with the elders of the land.
24 Often she will sell linen of her own weaving, or make a girdle for the travelling merchant to buy.
25 Protected by her own industry and good repute, she greets the morrow with a smile.
26 Ripe wisdom governs her speech, but it is kindly instruction she gives.
27 She keeps watch over all that goes on in her house, not content to go through life eating and sleeping.
28 That is why her children are the first to call her blessed, her husband is loud in her praise:
29 Unrivalled art thou among all the women that have enriched their homes.
30 Vain are the winning ways, beauty is a snare; it is the woman who fears the Lord that will achieve renown.
31 Work such as hers claims its reward; let her life be spoken of with praise at the city gates.
“She opens her mouth with wisdom”: This is not very natural in English. The expression “She opens her mouth . . .” is an idiomatic way of saying “She speaks. . .” (New International Version, Good News Translation); see verse 8. Revised English Bible expresses the whole line as “When she opens her mouth, it is to speak wisely”; but this is more than the text requires, and New International Version “She speaks with wisdom” and Contemporary English Version “Her words are sensible” are good and clear models for translators.
“And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue”: For “teaching” see 1.8. In the expression “the teaching of kindness” the Hebrew term rendered “kindness” is chesed. This term may mean “love” or “kindness,” but it may also have the sense of “faithfulness” or “loyalty.” So on the one hand “the teaching of kindness” may mean something like “kindly instruction” (Scott, New Jerusalem Bible) or “her advice is thoughtful” (Contemporary English Version); on the other hand it may mean “faithful instruction” (New International Version) or “her teaching is sound” (Revised English Bible). “Is on her tongue” is an expression similar to “opens her mouth” in the previous line. It may be rendered in English simply as “her [instruction or advice].” Good News Translation appears to render this whole line by the single word “gentle,” but this really misses a number of elements of the meaning, and translators are advised not to compress the verse 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 .
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 31:26:
Kupsabiny: “This woman is wise and she is not harsh when she gives advice.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Her words are full of wisdom. There is always good advice on her lips [Lit.: in her mouth].” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “She speaks with wisdom, and she teaches with kindness.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “She is wise in her way to speak and gentle is her way to advise/admonish.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
English: “When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks kindly (OR, faithfully).” (Source: Translation for Translators)
The English Standard Version has been used as the source line for 26b, because it follows a recommended interpretation for the second line. It also shows the parallelism more clearly.
26a She opens her mouthwith wisdom, (Berean Standard Bible)
26b and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (English Standard Version)
31:26a–b
opens her mouth…on her tongue: In Hebrew, the parallel phrases opens her mouth and on her tongue are frequently used figuratively to refer to speech. Here they both represent the words that the wife speaks.
31:26a
She opens her mouth with wisdom: Some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:
• Keep the figurative reference to mouth. For example:
When she opens her mouth, it is to speak wisely (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Her mouth is full of wisdom (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
Wise words come from her mouth
• Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:
She speaks with wisdom (New International Version)
-or-
When she speaks, her words are wise (New Living Translation (2004))
31:26b
(English Standard Version) and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue: In Hebrew, the word that the English Standard Version translates as kindness has three aspects of meaning: loyalty, love, and kindness (see the notes on 3:3a and 14:22b for more information). In this verse, versions focus on either love/kindness or loyalty/reliability. The two interpretations are as follows:
(1) The word kindness refers here to love or kindness. For example:
kindly instruction (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) The word kindness refers here to loyalty or reliability. For example:
faithful instruction (New International Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries.
In addition, there are two ways to interpret the phrase teaching of kindness :
(1) It refers to teaching/instruction that is done in a kind manner. For example:
kindly instruction (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) It refers to teaching/instruction about kindness. For example:
teaches other to be kind (New Century Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most versions and commentaries. Note: Versions that translate literally (“teaching/instruction of kindness”) have not been listed under either interpretation, because they could be interpreted either way. These versions include the English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, and New Revised Standard Version.
Some other ways to translate this line are:
• Keep the figurative reference to tongue or a similar figure of speech, such as “lips.” For example:
Her tongue ⌊is full⌋ with kindly teaching (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
Kind advice comes from her lips/tongue.
• Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:
and she gives instructions with kindness (New Living Translation (2004))
The verse does not specify who the wife instructs. If possible, translate this line in a general way. If you need to specify who she instructs, it is probably her children and servants.
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