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).

Translation commentary on Proverbs 9:1

In verses 1-2 Wisdom is pictured as an industrious, active woman in contrast to the foolish woman of verses 13-14.

“Wisdom has built her house”: Wisdom’s “house” is first referred to in 8.34. This line does not suggest that Wisdom had someone else build her house for her but rather makes clear that she is the builder. New Jerusalem Bible says, “Wisdom has built herself a house.” In languages that have difficulty with the personification here, we may need to shift to a simile and say, for example, “Wisdom is like a carpenter who builds a house” or “Wisdom has built her own house, as a builder does.”

“She has set up her seven pillars”: Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint with “set up”. The Hebrew has “hewn,” which means formed or shaped by chopping with an ax-like tool. New Revised Standard Version translates the Hebrew “she has hewn her seven pillars.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives a “B” rating to “hewn,” and this is recommended to translators as the preferred text. “Pillars” are slender, vertical supports or columns.

There has been much debate about the existence of houses with “pillars” in Israel during the Old Testament period. However, it is now known from archeology that some houses of the rich had “seven pillars” supporting the portico, which is a porch or walkway with a roof leading to the main entrance of the house. The expression “seven pillars” has likewise been the object of much guesswork. However, what seems certain is that the house described here represents an image of luxury and, from the widespread use of “seven” as a perfect number, a complete and ideal or perfect building. All of this is to say that Wisdom has built a comfortable and permanent place for herself to live, in contrast to Folly’s house, which is associated with the dead and Sheol in verse 18.

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 9:1)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 9:1:

  • Kupsabiny: “Wisdom has built (his/its) house and (it) leans on (is supported by) seven pillars.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Wisdom has built her house.
    Moreover, it has seven pillars.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Wisdom is like a man who built a big and beautiful house.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Wiseness, it-can-be-compared to a person who built/set-up his/her (pronouns throughout are gender-neutral) house and set-upright its seven posts.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 9:1

Section 9:1–18

Wisdom and Folly each urge people to follow them

This section summarizes the main themes of chapters 1–8. It contains parallel appeals by Wisdom (9:1–6) and Folly (9:13–18), both personified as women. Both Wisdom and Folly appeal to the same audience, inviting them to come and eat in their homes. Between these two appeals is a summary of two opposite ways to respond to Wisdom (9:7–12). In the center of this paragraph, 9:10 contains a restatement of the first line of 1:7. These key verses mark chapters 1 and 9 as the beginning and end of the first major division of the book.

Some other headings for this section are:

Invitations of Wisdom and of Folly (New International Version)
-or-
Wisdom and Foolishness each give a feast
-or-
Being Wise or Foolish (New Century Version)

Paragraph 9:1–6

This paragraph describes the preparations that Wisdom makes for a banquet (9:1–3) and the invitations that she sends out to the guests (9:4–6).

9:1

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

1a
Wisdom has built her house ;

1b
she has carved out her seven pillars.

The second line specifies one thing that Wisdom did to build her house.

9:1a

Wisdom has built her house: This clause is a metaphor that contains personification. In this metaphor, personified Wisdom is compared to a female builder or carpenter who has built a house. Another way to translate this figure of speech is to change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

Wisdom is like a carpenter who has built a house
-or-
Wisdom has built her own house, as a builder does (UBS Handbook)

her house: This verse does not state explicitly what Wisdom’s house symbolizes. It may be a symbol of the earth or of Wisdom’s teaching. Because scholars interpret this symbol in different ways, you should not make one interpretation explicit in your translation. However, if you use footnotes, it may be helpful to your readers to add a footnote. For example:

Some scholars think that Wisdom’s house is a symbol of the earth. Others think that it symbolizes Wisdom’s teaching.

9:1b

she has carved out her seven pillars: There is a textual difference here:

(1) The Hebrew text has “hewn out.” For example:

she has carved its seven columns (New Living Translation (2004))

(2) The LXX has “set up.” For example:

she has set up her seven pillars (Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most English versions.

carved out: In this context, the verb carved out means to cut or chisel ⌊pillars⌋ out of rock. A description of cutting pillars out of rock may be awkward or put too much emphasis on the building process itself. If that is true in your language, you may want to translate more generally, as several English versions have done. For example:

she has made its seven columns (New Century Version)
-or-
and made seven columns for it (Good News Translation)

her seven pillars: The number seven was a symbol of perfection, so a house with seven pillars symbolized an ideal or perfect house. If your readers are not aware of the significance of a house with seven pillars, you may want to add a footnote. For example:

Only a rich/important person owned a house with pillars. These pillars or columns probably supported a roofed porch that covered part of the inner courtyard of the house. A house with seven pillars symbolizes a perfect house.

The New Living Translation (1996) may provide a good translation model for some languages, because it makes explicit the good quality of the house. At the same time, it leaves implicit the details of how the pillars were built:

Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars.

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