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)
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):
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).
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 jol or “head wisdom.”
For the complete story and more background, please see wisdom (Proverbs).
In French, the phrase le commencement de la sagesse or “the beginning of wisdom” is used as an idiom for something fundamentally important to understand. (Source: Muller 1991, p. 28)
The whole of verse 7 appears to interrupt the continuity between verses 6 and 8. Some scholars propose that verse 7 be omitted, following the Septuagint New English Bible reverses the order of verses 6 and 7. However, Revised English Bible places verse 7 in a footnote. The Handbook recommends that verse 7 be retained between verses 6 and 8.
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom”: Here the Hebrew has two disconnected phrases that are literally “First thing of wisdom. Get wisdom.” This line, whatever its origin, seems to say that wisdom is the most important thing, and therefore, you should obtain it. See Good News Translation. New Jerusalem Bible has “The first principle of wisdom is: acquire wisdom.” The New Jerusalem Bible footnote goes on to say “to win wisdom one must first realize how essential it is and that it demands self-sacrifice.”
“And whatever you get, get insight” is literally “and with all your getting [possession], get insight.” This line again places the highest importance on obtaining insight or understanding. For “insight” see 1.2. Bible en français courant renders verse 7 “To acquire wisdom make an effort to learn what it is; be ready to give whatever you possess to become intelligent.”
La Bible du Semeur has “This is the beginning of wisdom: obtain wisdom, at the cost of all you own get discernment.”
We may also say, for example, “Nothing is more important than becoming wise. You may get many possessions, but good sense is the best of all.”
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 4:7:
Kupsabiny: “Wisdom is a thing of value. So, you must/should devote yourself to it completely in order to get (it).” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Wisdom is the most important of all, So get hold of it,” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “Wisdom or understanding are the most-important in all, therefore you (sing.) try very hard to possess/own it even-though all your (sing.) properties will-be-gone.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Wisdom is the most-important thing, therefore make every effort (lit. put-forth all your (sing.) ability) to gain-it even whatever its difficulty, likewise also with understanding.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
7a Wisdom is supreme ; so acquire wisdom.
7b And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
4:7a
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as supreme usually means “beginning” or “first,” but it can also mean “best” or “most important.” As a result of this difference in meaning, there are two ways to interpret 4:7a:
(1) Wisdom is the most important quality, so get wisdom. For example:
Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do (Good News Translation)
(2) The first thing to do in becoming wise is to decide to get wisdom. For example:
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom (New Revised Standard Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it fits better with the parallel statement in 4:7b. The second interpretation also seems to state a truth that is obvious.
4:7b
And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding: In Hebrew, the first part of this line is literally “with all your acquisitions.” In this context, it literally implies “in exchange for selling all your possessions.” But this line is not speaking about literal selling or buying. It indicates that the young man should make it his top priority and do everything possible to get wisdom/understanding. Another way to translate this line is:
Whatever else you do, get insight.
understanding: See the note on understanding in 4:1b.
General Comment on 4:7a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parallel parts. See 4:7a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.
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