Translation commentary on Proverbs 3:35

The thought expressed in this final verse is found also in 11.2; 12.8; 13.5; 14.19; and 22.29.

“The wise will inherit honor”: “The wise” refers to persons who have acquired the teachings of wisdom. “Inherit” is not to be taken in the literal sense of receiving possessions from a dead relative. The sense here is getting, obtaining, or receiving. “Honor” (see verse 16), which is praise, respect, or recognition, is given by those who recognize a person as being “wise”. A typical translation of this line is “People will give a big [or, good] name to the person who is wise.”

“But fools get disgrace”: “Fools” are persons who “hate knowledge” (1.22) and who “take no pleasure in understanding” (18.2). “Disgrace” translates a word that contrasts with “honor” in the first line and so has the sense of shame, dishonor, or contempt.

The Revised Standard Version note shows that the Hebrew text says “exalt” in place of “get”. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the Hebrew as a “B” and gives the word as “lifting up.” However, taking the verb to mean “exalt,” “lift up,” or “carry away” seems to result in an unsatisfactory translation. Many suggestions have been made to change the word rendered “exalt,” but none has produced an appropriate rendering. Perhaps the best approach for translators is to use a verb similar in meaning to “inherit” in the first line; this is the approach taken by versions such as Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch (see below).

Contemporary English Version uses two passive constructions for this verse: “You will be praised if you are wise, but you will be disgraced if you are a stubborn fool.”

This may be adjusted to say, for example, “People will praise you if you are wise, but they will shame you if you are a fool.”

Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch offers another model: “Whoever is wise and skilled wins honor, but perfect fools earn nothing but shame.”

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 3:35)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 3:35:

  • Kupsabiny: “A wise person is honored, but the foolish one will be shamed.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The wise will be praised,
    Fools, He will cause to be ashamed.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The wise will-be-honored, but the fools will-be-put-to-shame.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The wise will-be-praised, but the foolish by-contrast, he will-be-shamed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 3:35

3:35

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning.

35a
The wise will inherit honor,

35b but fools are held up to shame.

3:35a

The wise will inherit honor: In this context, the word inherit means “gain” or “obtain.” In some languages, only possessions or property can be “inherited,” so inherit honor may not be a natural expression. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

will gain an honorable reputation (Good News Translation)
-or-
will be praised (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
shall obtain honor (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

3:35b

but fools are held up to shame: The meaning of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as are held up is uncertain. But many scholars agree that in this context the meaning of this word is similar to the meaning of “inherit” in 3:35a.

Other ways to translate this clause are:

but fools will be disgraced (New Century Version)
-or-
all that fools inherit is contempt (New Jerusalem Bible)

fools: In Hebrew, this word for fools (kǝsilim) refers to someone who does what is stupid and wrong because he is mentally lazy and self-satisfied.

General Comment on 3:35a–b

In both of these parallel clauses, the text does not say who will honor the wise or who will shame the fools. If it is necessary in your language to say who will do these things, use a general term such as “people” or “someone.” For example:

35a If people are wise, ⌊someone⌋ will honor them,

35b but if people are fools, ⌊someone⌋ will shame them.

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a phrase such as “there are” to introduce a general subject. For example:

35a If you are wise, ⌊there are people⌋ who will praise you,

35b but if you are a fool, ⌊there are those⌋ who will disgrace you.

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