wisdom

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Ge’ez, Latin, and Greek that is translated as “wisdom” in English is rendered in various ways:

  • Amganad Ifugao / Tabasco Chontal: “(big) mind”
  • Bulu / Yamba: “heart-thinking”
  • Tae’: “cleverness of heart” (source for this and all above: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Palauan: “bright spirit (innermost)” (source: Bratcher / Hatton)
  • 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)
  • Uma: “clearness” (source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Kako: “heart thinking” (source: Reyburn 2002, p. 190)

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a hand gesture referring to God to indicate a human quality to communicate that wisdom does not originate from man but is linked to and connected with the fear of God (source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group):


“Wisdom” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

See also wisdom (Proverbs) and knowledge.

wisdom ("heart wisdom")

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” or “wise” in English. For the verses referenced here, it uses p’ijil-o’tanil or “heart wisdom.”

For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).

complete verse (Proverbs 4:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 4:11:

  • Kupsabiny: “I am teaching you the way of wisdom and am directing you to (a) way/path that is straight,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “I will take you along on the path of wisdom,
    and I will take [you] along on the true way.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “I already taught you (sing.) wisdom, how you (sing.) will-live-rightly/correctly.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “I have-been-teaching you (sing.) so-that you (sing.) will-become-intelligent/skillful/wise and will-follow the correct path.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Proverbs 4:11

“I have taught you the way of wisdom”: As in 2.12 and 13, where “way” identifies the life or manner of living of evil people, here “way of wisdom” is the kind of life that wisdom teaches, and this is often expressed as “the path of wisdom” or “the right way to live.”

“I have led you in the paths of uprightness” is literally “I have made you walk in the tracks of uprightness.” This line is parallel to the first line with almost exactly the same sense. For “uprightness” see 2.13. We may render verse 11, for example: “I have taught you good sense and the way to live right.” Or “I have taught you how to have good sense and to walk on the straight path.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 4:11

4:11

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

11a
I will guide you in the way of wisdom ;

11b
I will lead you on straight paths.

4:11a–b

I will guide you…I will lead you: The Hebrew verbs used in this verse probably refer to customary guidance/teaching that began in the past and still continues in the present. English versions express this customary action in different ways. For example:

I have taught you (English Standard Version)
-or-
I am guiding you (New Century Version)

the way of wisdom…straight paths: The way of wisdom and straight paths are parallel metaphors that refer to wise, correct, and honest conduct.

In some languages, it will be possible to keep these metaphors. For example:

the path of wise behavior…straight paths
-or-
the road that wise people take…correct paths

The Good News Translation translates the meaning without using these metaphors. It also combines and/or reorders the parallel ideas of “guide” and “lead.” It has:

I have taught you wisdom and the right way to live.

However, in 4:12, the Good News Translation keeps the metaphors of walking and running.

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