Translation commentary on Proverbs 9:12

“If you are wise, you are wise for yourself”: Many efforts have been made to give a clear meaning to this verse, but there is little agreement among interpreters. What seems clear is that the verse has no direct connection with the previous verses and seems to express something that is not found elsewhere in the book of Proverbs. The Hebrew wording, as seen in Revised Standard Version, seems to say that if you are wise, your wisdom benefits only yourself, and in the same way the scoffer alone is responsible only to himself. However, this attitude seems to be contrary to the teacher’s urging the learner to get wisdom and thus to share the benefits with the teacher and the wise.

The Septuagint translators seem to have recognized the problem in this verse and so reversed the clauses to say, “If you are wise for yourself, you will be wise also for your neighbors.”

“If you scoff, you alone will bear it”: that is, “If you refuse learning, you alone will suffer for it.” The second line is the contrast of the first. Good News Translation is recommended as a good model for the entire verse.

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 9:12)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 9:12:

  • Kupsabiny: “If you are wise, you will get life, but if you are disregard/scorn wisdom, you will suffer.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “If you have wisdom, it will be good for you,
    If you scorn wisdom, however,
    it will not be good for you.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “If you (sing.) are wise, this can-give you (sing.) goodness, but if you (sing.) under-estimate/belittle wisdom, you (sing.) just causing- yourself -to-suffer.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “If you (sing.) are wise, you (sing.) are the one who will experience good. If you (sing.) are a scoffer, you (sing.) alone will-bear-the-penalty.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 9:12

9:12

This verse contains parallel parts that contrast in meaning.

12a
If you are wise, you are wise to your own advantage ;

12b but if you scoff, you alone will bear the consequences.

This verse concludes the paragraph that contrasts the responses of wise people and mockers to wisdom. However, there is no explicit connection with the preceding verse.

9:12a–b

you are wise to your own advantage…you alone will bear the consequences: In Hebrew, the clause you are wise to your own advantage is literally “you are wise for yourself.” This clause means that the wise person will personally gain the benefit from being wise.

The clause you alone will bear the consequences has a parallel meaning. It means that the mocker alone will bear the responsibility. Here are two examples of other ways to translate this verse:

If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
You are the one who will profit if you have wisdom, and if you reject it, you are the one who will suffer. (Good News Translation)

9:12b

scoff: See the note on 9:7a–b.

bear the consequences: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bear the consequences is literally “carry.” In this context, it means to bear the responsibility or punishment.

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